‘The Sound of Music’ @ Broadway Dallas (Fair Park)
Playing September 8-20 @ The Music Hall at Fair Park
Hannah Kneen
I must admit, I’ve never failed to find enjoyment in The Sound of Music. But something about director Jack O’Brien’s touring production (presented by Broadway Dallas) stands out as being a uniquely satisfying experience.
Most of us probably know the basics of the plot: Maria Rainer, music-loving would-be nun, is sent to be a governess to the well-off von Trapp family in Salzburg, with its strict but lonely father and seven quietly mischievous children. The political tensions of Austria in 1938—the growing threat that a Nazi presence on the borders will soon become something more sinister—give the show’s love story a serious and impactful edge of solemnity that endures the test of time.
What you might not know is that the classic musical was inspired by very real events. The Trapp family did escape Hitler’s Austria and found success as a singing act in the U.S. during and after World War II—and because of a book published in 1949 by wife & mother Maria Augusta Kutshera—all of it long before the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical made a splash on Broadway (1959) and then the silver screen (1965).
O’Brien’s stage production is essentially the original Broadway version of the musical—and several songs are restored to their 1959 placement in the story. For example, “My Favorite Things” is here sung early on by Maria and Mother Abbess (Christine Noll); in the film it’s used to calm the children in a storm. Maria and Mother Abbess form something of a bond as they sing a song both enjoyed in their childhoods. To me, this arrangement had much more impact, and was a lovely way to illuminate Mother Abbess’s decision to recommend that the free-spirited Maria leave the abbey for a time to think about her future.
Christine Noll packs so much into so little time onstage in her role as Mother Abbess. A kind bearing, some good humor, and an exquisitely expressive voice come together to create a lovely characterization.
In other changes that restore original elements, “The Lonely Goatherd” is back to being the show’s “thunderstorm” number—and two songs from the original Broadway production (neither were in the movie) are restored. “How Can Love Survive?” and “No Way to Stop It” expand our understanding of the sophisticated and somewhat cynical characters of Max the promoter (Nicholas Rodriguez) and the Viennese Baroness (Kate Loprest) who hopes to marry the Captain. Both songs are witty, a bit snarky, memorably adult in tone and topics—and add more depth to the story. It’s good to hear them again.
This particular production boasts a very strong cast. Cayleigh Capaldi as Maria is vibrant and endearing from the very first moments we see her, right through to the moment the curtain falls. She is well-matched by Kevin Earley’s Captain von Trapp, as their slightly adversarial start blooms into something as tender and sweet as…Edelweiss? And, of course, the genuine respect that threads through their relationship is what makes it such an enduring love story.
The von Trapp children also display a lot of talent. Ariana Ferch’s Liesl is very graceful and finds a good balance between youthful innocence and a sensible disposition. Haddie Mac’s Brigitta, the 10-year-old with a talent for noticing everything (no matter how inconvenient) is particularly entertaining to me: she provides the “push” Captain von Trapp and Maria need to face their own romantic feelings. Torben Mularski, Skylar Matthews, Reece Boyle, Berkeley Waluk, and Everly Beeson join them as the rest of the von Trapp children; it’s little wonder this charming bunch would be a hit with musical and movie fans—as they were in the Trapp family’s real-life performing career.
But a good story and good performances are not the only things that recommend this production. Designer Kai Harada’s sound is well-mixed and the voices (ably led by music director Jonathan Marro) are gorgeous. It would be hard to go home without your mind already playing over the songs—and keeping it up for days afterwards. (I’m still humming.)
And the show is a visual delight. Lighting designer Natasha Katz and scenic designer Douglas W. Schmidt work together brilliantly to create some excellent visuals. There are often several layers to the backdrops and scenic elements, all with lighting that plays off of, and enhances, their effects. Several scenes utilize huge moving panels built to look like lacework that let light through from behind them. Director Jack O’Brien uses the space beautifully, and clearly knows how to pull the disparate elements of a production into gorgeous unity.
Leaving the theatre, I must admit it was hard to say “So Long, Farewell.” But fortunately this is a show you can keep coming back to. It’s definitely worth it.
WHEN: Sept 8-20, 2026
WHERE: Music Hall at Fair Park
WEB: https://broadwaydallas.org/
