The Sound of Music: The Making of America's Favorite Movie (revised edition) - by Julia Antopol Hirsch
When The Sound of Music was released in 1965, it took the world by storm, capturing five Oscars (including Best Picture) and holding the number-one spot box-office record for five years. For millions of viewers, the film is a rare combination of a powerful and moving story, superb music, and breathtaking scenery.
The Sound of Music: The Making of America’s Favorite Movie is not only an unequalled tribute to this beloved movie musical but also the most complete behind-the-scenes account of the creation of this Hollywood classic.
Through exclusive, in-depth interviews with Robert Wise, Ernest Lehman, Saul Chaplin, Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Kym Karath, Johannes von Trapp, Richard Zanuck, and dozens of other cast and crew members; over 200 stills from the movie’s most memorable scenes; rare snapshots from personal scrapbooks; and papers from the Fox Studio archives, Julia Antopol Hirsch has re-created the magic that is The Sound of Music:
Julie Andrews’s “first kiss” with Christopher Plummer, she recalls, was crazy, because neither of them could stop laughing.
Plummer’s after hours festivities with the nuns around the piano often went on way into the night.
When she rushed up the mountain for the famous opening scene, Julie Andrews kept getting knocked to the ground by the downdraft from the cameraman’s helicopter.
Yul Brynner, Walter Matthau, and Sean Connery were all considered for the role of the Captain.
Mia Farrow, Sharon Tate, and Richard Dreyfuss auditioned for juvenile roles.
Director Robert Wise, under pressure from Fox’s Richard Zanuck for being over budget, almost didn’t finish the location shoot in Austria because it simply wouldn’t stop raining.
Now completely updated and in full color throughout, this engaging volume is both an insider’s guide to and a delightful celebration of “the happiest sound in all the world!”
The Billy Joel Project, the debut album from The Broadway Ensemble – an 11-member cast with a combined 48 Broadway credits – has been released on streaming and digital formats Friday, July 11, with a CD edition to follow later this summer.
Boston-based vocalist Brian De Lorenzo will mark the release of his new album Toast of the Town, Volume 1 with a concert on Tuesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM at Club Café’s Moonshine Room. The performance will feature the Tom LaMark Orchestra, also featured on the album.
Theatre Communications Group has announced the upcoming publication of three acclaimed plays: Ain’t No Mo’ by Jordan E. Cooper, Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee, and Public Obscenities by Shayok Misha Chowdhury.
Frank “Fraver” Verlizzo, the theater poster designer whose imagery defined decades of Broadway hits, has released a new novel. Learn more about 'Scenery of the Crime”, the first in the Retro Broadway Mystery Series.
Broadway performer and rising recording artist Omar Madden has officially released his debut EP, Thoughts & Feels, now available on all major streaming platforms.
CENTER STAGE RECORDS has released “Magic” from the forthcoming live West End cast recording of John Casssavetes’ Opening Night – with music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright. Listen here!
Sam & Company, a genre-spanning musical theatre album by Sam Nasar, will stream everywhere in June. Learn more about the album and about where its proceeds will be donated to here!
Left on Tenth, the new play based on the bestselling memoir by Delia Ephron, is now available for purchase through Dramatists Play Service. Learn more here!
The cast recording has been released for Jo - The Little Women Musical, a new musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's iconic coming-of-age novel Little Women. Listen to the album here!
BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to 'An Ode to Aunt March’s Urn' from the upcoming studio album Jo - The Little Women Musical. Learn more and listen here!
Club44 Records has released Jim Caruso’s The Swing Set: Deluxe Edition – the urbane baritone’s smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook. Listen here!
Theater star and Nashville recording artist RACHEL POTTER – best known for appearances on Fox TV’s “The X Factor” and the Broadway musicals The Addams Family and Evita – has released her new album Stages. Listen here!
Club44 Records will release of Jim Caruso’s The Swing Set: Deluxe Edition. BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to 'One More Minute' here! Learn more about the album.
Get an exclusive first listen to Rachel Potter singing a Waitress Medley from her upcoming album Stages! Learn more about the album and see how to download and stream.
The Drama Book Shop will present, in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications, author events designed to entertain and enlighten. Learn more and see how to attend.
GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS will release Legally Blonde: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) on vinyl for the first time. Learn more and see how to purchase and stream the album!
Drama Book Shop will present a conversation with author Julie Gilbert about her acclaimed book, 'Giant Love,' (Pantheon) the compelling story of the writing of Edna Ferber's celebrated novel 'Giant'. Learn more!
Yusuf/Cat Stevens has announced his long-awaited memoir, Cat On The Road To Findout. Coming later this year, the new autobiography is an extraordinary soul-baring journey through the triumphs, trials, and transcendental quest of one of music’s most enigmatic figures of our time.
Cabaret Classics will release Toast of the Town, Volume 1, the new big band album from Boston-based vocalist Brian De Lorenzo, on CD and streaming and digital platforms in June. Learn more about the album here!
Following Jill Sobule's tragic passing last week, a new music video from her autobiographical musical F*ck 7th Grade has been shared by her representatives. Watch it here.
Jeffrey Seller has made the theatre that has changed my life. I will always remember being twelve years old and being obsessed with all that is Rent. This show changed the face of theatre. He did it again with Hamilton and In The Heights as well. His artistic blueprint is all over the DNA of Broadway. His new memoir 'Theatre Kid' is out and it is a must read for theatre fans and artists alike. Watch in this video!
Center Stage Records and Yellow Sound Label has released The 12 – A New Musical (Original Cast Recording). You can now learn more about the musical, and listen here!
The original cast recording of Broadway's Hamilton has become the first original cast album to hit 500 weeks on the Billboard 200. The album was originally released in September of 2015.
The Blues Brothers universe is returning, beginning with a brand new original graphic novel: The Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet Jake. Written by Stella Aykroyd, Luke Pisano, and James Werner, the graphic novel serves as a sequel to the 1980 film.
After announcing a robust new 16-LP box set in 2024, Harry Potter: The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Rhino now shares four individual Motion Picture Soundtrack LPs from the Harry Potter franchise.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a newly restored and remastered version of the movie will be unleashed in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD.
On December 2, 2025, Penguin Workshop will publish DOLLY PARTON’S BILLY THE KID DANCES HIS HEART OUT, the third standalone children’s picture book in Parton’s bestselling series featuring French bulldog, her god-dog, Billy the Kid.
In celebration of DRAG: The Musical’s dynamite Off-Broadway run at New World Stages, DRAG: The Musical LIVE (The Cast Recording) is now available. Listen to it here!
GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has released the new EP from Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Lena Hall, Songs from Your Friends & Neighbors. Listen here!
Gypsy: 2024 Broadway Cast Recording – starring six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald – will be released. BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to “All I Need Is the Girl” performed by Kevin Csolak here!