Filling the Upper School Theater with The Sound of Music
The Lindenberg-Sierres Theater was alive with the sound of music last weekend as students performed The Sound of Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein in the winter musical. Directed by Ross MacDonald, the show explores a topical story set on the eve of the Nazi takeover of Austria; a young woman takes a job as a governess while she decides her future at the nunnery.
The show opens with the Mother Abbess (Aparajita Srivastava ’25) and other nuns discussing the future Maria (Sophia Stafford ’25), a wayward and musical postulant who is devoted to her religion but tends to shirk her duties as a postulant and break the strict “no singing” policy. Mother Abbess sends her to be a governess and explore a world outside the Abbey.
In her new role, Maria thrives as she brings music and joy back to the seven Von Trapp children following their mother’s death. At first, their father, the stoic Captain Von Trapp (Asher Esty ’25), is against the whimsical approach to educating the children but eventually warms towards the idea and Maria herself. Amidst the backdrop of a looming Nazi takeover, the Captain and his family navigate the questionable loyalties of longtime friends like Max Detweiler (Salar Sekhavat ’26) and the bonds of family and love.
In a show that resonates with audiences years after its inception, the cast delivered a poignant take on love and resistance in the face of hatred. Sophia Stafford, as Maria, offers a subtly humorous portrayal of the iconic character, giving the role the impish and youthful yet warm and commanding stage presence. Asher Esty’s depiction of the Captain as a man with rigid convictions who slowly opens his heart to Maria and the more musical side of his children is a wonderful compliment to Maria’s energy.
The supporting cast provided performances that tied the whole show together. The seven children provided delight and levity while accurately portraying the uncertainty of growing up in a difficult time. In particular, the eldest Von Trapp child, Liesl (Sydney Francis ’26), perfectly embodied a girl on the cusp of adulthood navigating new relationships and feelings. The complicated character of Max, played by Salar Sekhavat ’26, provided the perfect antithesis to the Captain by playing both sides. While his readiness to cozy up to the Nazis makes him a perfect villain, that role is complicated by his loving relationship with the children and his friendship with the Captain.
The entire cast, crew, and orchestra created a show full of humor, love, conviction, and community at a time when lessons learned on the stage echo in today’s world. Thank you to Director Ross MacDonald, Stage Manager Adam Howarth, Costume Designer Louise Brown, Orchestra Director Elliot Cless, Choral Director Joel Sindelar, Choreographer Holly Stone, and Musical Assistant Akemi Ueda for their tireless efforts to make this show a reality.
