By Ande Jacobson

West Valley Light Opera (WVLO) is bringing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved family classic, The Sound of Music, to the Saratoga Civic Theater soon.  The show opens Saturday, 25 June and will run Fridays – Sundays through Saturday, 23 July.

First coming to Broadway in November 1959 and winning six Tony Awards, The Sound of Music is loosely based on Maria Von Trapp’s memoir, and although much of it is fictionalized for theatrical purposes, it’s still a heartwarming story familiar to young and old alike.  The musically vibrant score includes favorites such as the title song, My Favorite Things, Edelweiss, Maria (not to be confused with the song of the same name from West Side Story), Do-Re-Mi, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, and Climb Ev’ry Mountain among others.  WVLO is adding a little bit extra to this production by including two songs that were written for the movie, but are sometimes used in stage revivals.  There are also a few songs that aren’t in the movie, so those who haven’t seen a stage version are in for a treat as WVLO is keeping some of those in as well.

Robert Solis as Captain von Trapp, Minna Rogers as Maria Rainer, and Mindy Pedlar as the Mother Abbess will lead the talented cast in this production.   Other prominent performers will include Matt Tipton as Max Detweiler, Erica Rogers as Elsa Schrader, Lydia Merriam-Pegg as Leisl, John Eubank as Rolf Gruber, and two casts of the younger Von Trapp children who will amuse and delight the audience.

Producer Nancy Kwong, director Rebecca Brownson, vocal director Diane Milo, choreographer Jennifer Nye Walsh, and musical director Joseph Kelly are proud of their performers and are looking forward to a very entertaining summer.  While I would normally review a WVLO production, I’m afraid I’ll have to abstain this time given I’m playing in the orchestra.

Performances will be at the Saratoga Civic Theater located at:  13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070.  The show runs from 25 June through 23 July with performances on Friday/Saturday nights at 8PM and Sundays at 2:30PM.  Note that Saturday, 9 July, is a special matinee performance.

For more information or to order tickets, check the WVLO website at:  www.wvlo.org or leave a message on the 24-hour box office voicemail at 408-268-3777 and someone will promptly call you back.  You can also call the live Brown Paper Tickets number at 800-838-3006 for tickets, or you can call the theater office at 408-868-1291 during the hour prior to curtain on performance days for additional information.

(Photo Credits:  Edmond Kwong)