Asolo Rep shows all its considerable production abilities onstage in The Sound of Music for a glorious holidays treat. Director-Choreographer Josh Rhodes has wanted not to duplicate the movie or the original stage production but rather look anew at both book and music anew. How he’s handled them and made movement important imparts a fine, fresh appeal. Each scene has a particular sense of place and use, from the nuns’ abbey where Maria (ebullient Maddie Shea Baldwin) is a postulant to the Austrian hills to the palatial von Trapp home to a cathedral and then a grand Festival theater full of Nazi flags and military. The “hills are alive” via projection when Maria is introduced and through the title song in which Tally Sessions’ Captain von Trapp shows his connection to his children, his attraction to her, and his love of country. The well-known songs, like “Do, Re, Me” and “My Favorite Things,” engage Maria and the von Trapp children in growing affection. “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” is cutely danced as well as sung by Liesl (Sophie Lee Morris) and the messenger boy Rolf (Cole Doman), who turns out to be more heroic in the play than on film. As Baroness Schraeder, briefly engaged to the Captain, Kate Loprest isn’t as romantically misplaced here, but rather satisfied with her career and wealth, unlike—as usual—entertainment entrepreneur Max Detweiler (a would-be slick Darren Matthias). As Mother Abbess, Liz McCartney is a terrific singer of “Climb Every Mountain” and acts both compassionately and with good judgement. The women who play her charges make the most of their songs and can quickly shed religious habits to be part of the Emsemble. Ann Morrison puts kind authority into Frau Schmidt, head of the von Trapp household. (It’s a bit ironic that she doesn’t sing in the part, because she’s well known as a major vocalist in the Bay Area with past Broadway musical experiences.) The children who become the von Trapp Family Singers all have individual personalities. In addition to the eldest, Sophie Lee Morris, the siblings are: Cora Jane Messler (smallest Gretl), Raina Lynn Khatama (Louisa), Sophia Cavalluzzi (Brigitta) Juda Immanuel (Friedrich), Allie McLaughlin (Marta), and Tyler Gevas (maturing Kurt). They all entertain expressively singing “Good Night, Farewell” right up to the end of each act. The males in the Ensemble mainly fulfill the roles of Nazis and do so with fearful efficiency. Loren Shaw’s costumes, fitting throughout, are especially important here. Paul Tate dePoo III’s busy set has an advantage in Cory Pattak’s vastly varied lighting, whether onstage or at times through the theater. Lighting goes from darkest in the abbey as the nuns sing prayers to an explosion of fiery gold as the von Trapps walk into the light at the end. Josh Milligan’s sound design fits each episode, is never overwhelming, working well with Music Director Jordan Cunningham on the score and additional arrangements by Sinai Tabak. Two songs from the movie nicely replace one from the original stage musical. Josh Rhodes did his first major choreographic work at and has since directed season-opening musicals for Asolo Rep. This time he’s directed and choreographed his most spectacular one.
