Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Broadway Palm

Broadway Palm's production of The Sound of Music is a delight from the moment Melissa Whitworth as Maria does that iconic twirl, arms outstretched to embrace us. And really. Who among us can resist a stage full of kids? Or nuns?

Those nuns, led by Ariana Valdes as Mother Abbess, do a bang-up job of singing beautiful harmonies in Latin in front of the equally beautiful rose window in the abbey design by Chris Peters. The program doesn't say, but I'm guessing Valdes has had considerable opera training. Her rendition of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" all but brought the house down.

Broadway Palm is lucky to have a wealth of talented children locally to cast. Many of them have appeared in previous productions. There's not an untalented one in the bunch. Special kudos to Amy Fenicle as the eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl and Tim Canali as Rolf, her erstwhile boyfriend, for a charming song and dance number choreographed by Amy Marie McCleary who is also the director of the production.

Andrew Fehrenbacher plays the paterfamilias Captain Georg von Trapp. Although he brings a resonant singing voice, he hardly looks old enough to have seven kids.

The stage version of The Sound of Music debuted in 1959, but it still holds some lessons for today. Honor is important. Country is important. Standing up for what one believes is important. And looking the other way won't make problems disappear.

The show runs through November 20. For tickets, call 239.278.4422.

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