The hills are alive…with excitement! Members of Running Dog Productions have been counting down the days to present their mainstage spring musical, “The Sound of Music,” to the general public. With performances on April 23, 24, and 25, at 7:00 p.m. all nights and 1:00 p.m. on April 25, this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is one audiences surely won’t dismiss with a “so long farewell”.
Based on the novel “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers” written by Maria Von Trapp, the story follows Nonnburg Abbey postulant Maria Rainer. Forced to take up a governess role in order to become a nun, Maria quickly grows a devoted bond with the children she is taking care of as well as their father, a retired naval general, Georg von Trapp. During all of this, Maria must protect her new-found relationships from the upcoming Anschluss of the Nazi party, set to annex Austria.
“This is a classic musical,” director and theater teacher Liney Marks said. “It is one that everybody I have talked to seems to have really positive memories from childhood.”
In putting together the production, Marks encouraged students and other members of the community to watch the movie of the same name. The musical’s lasting soundtrack resonates with multiple generations.
Overseeing all areas of the production process, Marks has the job of adding color and spark to the show, enhancing its elements to make the production different from any other adaptation of this timeless musical.
“It’s a good thing for me as a director to learn how to balance respecting American history, but also making it uniquely Stone Bridge,” Marks said.
To enhance the authenticity of the von Trapp children, Marks and her directing team held auditions for the children roles open to any children in the Loudoun County area younger than high schoolers.
“I was looking forward to collaborating with the elementary and middle schools in the area,” Marks said. “[It gave] students the experience of working with children on stage, because they’re going to do that as professionals.”
However, the creative process doesn’t come from the directing team alone. With the intensity of the mainstage spring production, rehearsals and the interpretation for the show are also significantly reliant on actors and tech.
Actors endured demanding schedules throughout the rehearsal process, meeting five days a week to practice vocals, learn choreography, and block scenes. On their own time, actors had to research their characters’ motivations while also memorizing and practicing their lines with ease.
“[It was] a lot more music,” junior Ava Jones, starring in the lead role of Maria Rainer, said. “[The rehearsal process] is also a lot of self-reliance.”
The production’s technical team also had to put in lots of hard work to bring the show together. Working in a more scattered schedule that only met once or twice a week, the tasks of a technician’s schedule is more independent based on the crew’s needs. However, as the production grows closer, tech has been called for more rehearsals, incorporating their elements with actors to gain as much practice as possible.
“[Tech’s] really integral to making sure that you can enhance every part of the show,” crew head of props and special effects Val Clements said. “If you remove all tech from a show, you would see that nothing runs [properly].”
Running Dog Productions is looking forward to seeing audiences just as much as audiences are anticipating seeing this nostalgic show. From dealing with rigorous schedules as well as understanding such a complicated show and its text, the cast and crew of “The Sound of Music” have surely “climbed every mountain” to put this production together.
For ticketing information, access this link: https://stonebhs.booktix.com/
