Good morning everybody and welcome to The Balancing Act. We are so glad you joined us.
I'm Julie Moran. And I'm Olga Villaverde.
Okay, today we're continuing our Broadway Balances America series, once again going
behind the scenes of Broadway's best shows as they travel across the country.
And today, we are talking the Sound of Music. My favorite!
I love it. Celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, and that beloved musical continues
to be one of the most successful movie musicals in history. In fact, trivia, how many Academy
Awards did it win? I just know this. Five.
Yes. Yeah!
Including Best Picture. And now the treasured story of Maria and the
Von Trapp family is once again thrilling audiences as the brand new national tour comes to your
city.
The Balancing Act starts right now. (music).
Broadway Balancing America brought to you by Broadway Across America, bringing the best
of Broadway to a city near you. (music).
We are once again heading to Broadway and Beyond as our Broadway Balances America series
takes us behind the scenes of some of the beloved Broadway musicals as they travel across
the country and into your local theaters. Today, the hills and our show are alive with
the sound of music as the cherished movie musical celebrates its 50th anniversary with
an all-new stage production. Balancing Act Correspondent, Amber Milt, met
with the creative team and the new actors taking on those iconic roles as they prepared
for its national touring premier. That's right, ladies. The Sound of Music truly
is one of my favorite things. This classic has been revitalized and its story and score
are striking the right balance with today's audiences.
(Singing) "Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun"
From stage to screen, it's a story that has been seen by millions the world over with
iconic songs that are embedded in the lexicon of our lives.
So, Jack, tell us about how you approached such a classic musical and how you're going
to bring it -- give it new life? I have great respect for this piece. When
I started looking, this one was the year 1938. Now, I've never thought about this piece historically.
I encouraged the company not to sing because the minute you hear those iconic songs, you
start to relax and think "Oh, here are these songs from my childhood that I loved all my
life" as opposed to "This is a journey that's going on." We discovered things that were
funny. We discovered things that were irreverent. We discovered things that were human. So,
everybody in the piece became instantly dimensional for me and for them. And that's the journey
we took, and it's been astonishing to us, all of us.
You should know, clearly this is the set. Jack O'Brien, a three-time Tony award winning
director whose illustrious Broadway career has span decades is at the helm of this new
production. There have been other R&H shows that have
been looked at by really good directors, but nobody has gone sort of anywhere near this
one. When I watch what Jack has done, I just sit there sort of in awe because there are
things, there are lines that I didn't realize were there. And as a result, it seems completely
new. Bringing the show back to the stage meant
modernizing it, and making sure Maria, a role that for many will always be associated with
Julie Andrews, as relevant and relatable to today's woman.
(Singing) "When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad…"
This girl walked in the room, and she was kind of a jock. She was like a sort of girl
field hockey player. And I thought, "Well, that's right. That's a country mountain girl
who grew up on a mountain, who didn't expect to have a career on the stage, who thought
she was going to be a nun, and then realized maybe she was too hot to be a nun, for all
we know." In other words, everything about her seemed completely unlikely, and when she
opened her mouth, that voice. And I sort of fell in love.
Well, Jack O'Brien's been really lovely about that. He's totally liberated me from feeling
like I need to be Julie Andrews or need to be Mary Martin because I know them so well
as well. I've memorized that movie. But he's opening new doors and expanding horizons,
and he's made Maria sort of a country girl. And I'm from Vermont, so it's totally I get
to incorporate my love of the mountains into her as well.
(Singing) "The hills are alive with the sound of music."
Maria's journey in the story is really finding her place in the world, and I think that's
something everybody can relate to. It's a struggle sometimes, but she is constantly
persevering and constantly making the best out of situations and with a positive attitude.
Helping Maria come to terms with how her life is changing is Mother Abbess played by Ashley
Brown. (Singing) "Raindrops on roses and whiskers
on kitten, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens."
When I first got the call from Jack O'Brien that he wanted me to play this, I was like,
"What!?" He's one of the best directors of our time. He just has this whole new vision
of who Mother Abbess is, and that's why he wanted me to play the part. The rehearsals,
that's been the most amazing part of the journey, is finding my Mother Abbess and getting away
from what we all know, and making her human and making her relatable.
Equally important is the role of Caption Von Trapp, who starts our stern but transforms
over time. (Singing) "Edelweiss, edelweiss."
It's because his wife died, and he's been left as a single father of these seven children.
So, his sternness is a way of him shutting emotion out, is the disciple, his way of keeping
things ordered. Otherwise it's a chaotic world to him, one that he can't control and he wasn't
able to control the death of his wife. And my father passed away two years ago, and so
you feel that void in your life, and it's never completely filled. But you do find joys
in other places, and you try to realize that life goes on. And I think that's what the
Captain learns through Maria is that life continues on, and he's able to find joy again.
(Singing) "Climb every mountain, search high and low…"
The production still features all the classic songs with music by Richard Rogers, lyrics
by Oscar Hammerstein II. Let's talk about some of those iconic songs, Climb Every Mountain.
How are you going to make that your own? That's a tough song. And not only technically
is it tough, but it's an anthem in musical theatre. You know, everybody knows the words,
everybody knows the tune. It's not just telling her to go climb because that's what you're
supposed to do. You know, it's what I learned when I was at the same crossroads as she is
right now, and don't be scared. Just go for it. Take the leap. And then at the very end,
she gave me my purpose again. And it's just that give and take of those two characters.
And I think that's what makes that song very powerful. It's thrilling. It's wonderful.
It's so exciting to be able to sing the songs that I know and love and grew up with, with
such amazing people on stage as well. That was more than evident at the show's premier.
They are losing their minds. It's been so positive. It's really made people see the
story in a different light. That's what has been really great about hearing the audience's
reaction. It's laughing and crying and screaming and clapping. It's what you want every time
you do a musical. (Singing) "I am sixteen going on seventeen,
I know that I'm naive. Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet, and willingly I believe."
It is indeed a show the whole family will enjoy. When people walk away from the Sound
of Music, from your Sound of Music, what do you want them to feel?
Immediately I think of one word, and I hope I hear it in these months ahead, astonished.
Like with anything you love and respect and think you know, in order to listen to it again,
you have to be refreshed. And if you hear and see things you didn't see the first time,
I think the response would be, "I don't know about you, but I was astonished."
I'm excited to see all these new cities and to bring such a beloved story to all around
the country. It's a dream come true. (Singing) "And I'll sing once more."
(Applause) The North American tour of the Sound of Music
continues coming soon to a theatre near you. Check out BroadwayBalancesAmerica.com, or
go to our website, TheBalancingAct.com for all the show information, tour dates, and
more. (music).
I really want to see The Sound of Music. Me, too!
Oh my gosh, it looks so fabulous. What is your favorite song from the movie?
(Singing) "What do you call a problem like Maria?"
You know, I just want to stand in that dress and twirl in those hills.
Okay, here we go. As always, you can check out our website -- I am not a singer -- TheBalancingAct.com.
We're also on Facebook and Twitter. And until next time, remember…
Find your balance. So long, everybody.
(music).