BWW Reviews: Casa Manana's THE SOUND OF MUSIC

When I decided to review The Sound of Music, currently playing at the Casa Manana in Fort Worth, I expected to see a pleasant production of a well known musical. What I experienced was something quite different: a brilliant mounting of a classic musical with magnificent performances and staging that placed it squarely heads and shoulders above many Broadway productions I have witnessed.

The Sound of Music, the last collaboration of the famed musical theatre team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, opened on Broadway in 1959 and lasted nearly four years. Many people know the show from its wildly popular film version, which was released six years later. The musical was revived on Broadway in 1998 and lasted over a year. It tells a fictionalized account of the International singing family sensation, the Austrian von Trapp Family Singers.

Whenever one discusses a production of The Sound of Music, one must start with its Maria. The Casa Manana production was indeed fortunate to have Jacquelyn Piro Donovan in this role. Miss Donovan was sheer and utter delight as Maria. She possess a soaring soprano voice, which was heard in glorious effect in numbers such as the title song and "I Feel Confidence." Miss Donovan's interplay with the children in the cast was fey and charming. The numbers she did with them, such as "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favorite Things," were the standouts of the production. Miss Donovan ably handled the singing, comic and dramatic aspects of this quite long and demanding role with marvelous energy and timing. I honestly don't think there are enough adjectives to aptly convey Miss Donovan's inspiring performance.

In the role of the Mother Abbess, Patty Goble, was simply, a gift from heaven. Her rendition of the pivotal song which closes the first act, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" was easily the best I have ever seen or heard. In the final few moments of the song, Miss Goble held notes so high, so true and for so long that were definitely off any Richter scale I'm familiar with. It was a genuine triumph. Miss Goble was also fine in the dramatic scenes where she advised Maria.

Steve Blanchard caught the imperiousness of Captain von Trapp quite well, and possessed an excellent singing voice. At the performance I attended, Mr. Blanchard was also quick enough to ad-lib around a mishap in a quite humorous manner. Able support was also provided by Dennis Yslas as Max and Diana Sheehan as Elsa. Tyce Green and Mary McElree made an attractive young couple in their song and dance duet, "Sixteen Going on Seventeen."

The show was directed and choreographed in a masterful manner by Alan Coats. Mr. Coats certainly had on display the most creative and inventive production of The Sound of Music I have ever seen. There simply was not a wasted moment on stage. I was most impressed that Mr. Coats staged the song "The Lonely Goatherd" as an integral part of the story; usually it is presented as a throwaway number. The Sound of Music can sometimes come across as maudlin and overly sentimental. Mr. Rodgers himself stated this in his autobiography. However, Mr. Coats kept these elements firmly in check and presented a totally realistic production where the characters were all three dimensional people that we genuinely cared about.

Mark Halpin's set was stunning and totally functional at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed the StaiNed Glass windows used for the scenes set at the abbey. Edward G. Robinson and his orchestra were the perfect musical accompaniment for the evening, with quite lush orchestrations. Tammy Spencer's costumes fit both period and character admirably.

The Sound of Music continues at Casa Manana through September 19. For more information, please visit their website at http://casamanana.org/. Yes, your heart will be blessed with the sound of music; and you'll sing once more.

 

 

Photo Credit:  Glen Ellman

 

 

 

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