Interview: Cayleigh Capaldi of THE SOUND OF MUSIC National Tour

From October 7th-12th, the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC will be gracing the stage of the Durham Performing Arts Center. Taking on the starring role of Maria Rainer is Cayleigh Capaldi. She’s making her national tour debut after having previously appeared in the Off-Broadway and West End productions of TITANIQUE. She’s also played other great roles elsewhere such as Elsa in the U.S. regional premiere of Disney’s FROZEN, the title character in MARY POPPINS, Cinderella in INTO THE WOODS, and Jo March in LITTLE WOMEN. I recently got in touch with her about a lot of this and more.

To start things off, how are things going with the tour so far?

CC: Oh, the tour is wonderful so far. We are at our very first stop in Washington D.C. at the historic Kennedy Center. It's really quite unique for a brand new national tour to open and sit down for a whole month in one place. We usually go week to week at different tour stops. We're lucky enough to have a good four weeks in one place to get used to the show to build up our stamina doing this show, just to get into the flow of things.

How excited are you to be coming to Durham?

CC: Oh, I'm so excited. I have actually never been to the Carolinas before. I've never been to Durham before. So I'm so excited to change that and explore this city. I've heard nothing but the most wonderful things about it. So we as a cast are really excited to come to the DPAC and to see your beautiful city.

For over 65 years, The Sound of Music has been one of the most beloved musicals in the world. Do you remember the first time you ever saw it?

CC: I do. I didn't have the privilege of seeing the show on stage before I was actually in it. The first exposure that I had to the story was the film as I think a lot of people come to this show now. I just have really lovely warm memories of around the holiday season watching the film with my family. I do remember from a very early age just being entranced by Julie Andrews and just being in total awe of her performance. She is, in every sense of the word, a legend. Her version of Maria is so beautiful and unapologetically authentic. I was really inspired by that when it came time to figure out how I was to put my own spin on the role.

So many actresses have taken on the role of Maria Rainer over the years from Mary Martin to Julie Andrews to even Florence Henderson when she starred in the very first national tour. How do you make it your own?

CC: It's a great question. It's definitely a daunting task when you first approach it at its core. I basically just went back to what the words were on the page, what the lyrics were in the score. I think those held the answers. The words that Maria says, the things that others say about her, that's where the truth of the character lies. Especially in the songs, because I think what's so great about musical theater songs is that there is very little opportunity to hide behind a lyric. There's something very vulnerable and raw about singing what your character feels because it's often some of their most truthful, authentic feelings. I also brought into this interpretation of Maria, myself. I relate to the character a lot. I understand what it is to feel the pressures of society, of the people around you, of the expectations around you to conform and be exactly what other people need you to be. What's so beautiful about Maria is that she has this spirit that is so uncontainable by the social structures around her. It ends up being her superpower. It's what wins over the children. It's what wins over the captain, and it's what ultimately allows her to acknowledge her own self-worth. Then in Act II, to have the creativity to come up with a way for the family to escape.

How did the opportunity for you to audition for this tour come about?

CC: I auditioned for this tour back in December of 2024. I submitted a self tape at first, and then I came in for two in-person auditions. That was my first opportunity to meet Jack O'Brien, our brilliant director. From the very first moment of meeting, not just Jack, but our entire creative team, I felt that there was something very special amongst these people. We are lucky enough to have the same creative team that launched the tour back in 2015. Their determination and their humility to acknowledge that while the tour 10 years ago was wonderful and brilliant and wildly successful, there was still a lot that they wanted to explore, fix, rediscover, and restage in our production. That's what's so wonderful about Jack O'Brien is that he is such a genius, but he never lets that genius get in the way of his creative process. He is so selfless in that he serves the art and he gives his whole self over to the piece. Whether that means, “yes, I like what we did last time. Let's find out what that means with this group of actors,” or, “I didn't like what we did last time, and I can admit that”. He has humility to say that, and that's very inspiring and disarming as an actor. That's not something that you often come across in this industry. It engenders a lot of trust and collaboration and that spirit of collaboration has existed throughout this entire process.

This touring production is directed by Jack O’Brien, who’s not only a legendary three-time Tony-winning director, but he also previously helmed this show when it last went out on the road about a decade ago. What is he like to work with?

CC: Like I said, Jack is such a wonderful collaborator. He is just an endless source of inspiration to us actors. Every time he opens his mouth to say something at a note session or at the start of a rehearsal run or after our first public performance it feels like a Ted Talk. He has so much wisdom in his experience, and he is also very giving of his time and his energy. He makes sure that every single cast member understands their own characters. No matter how much time we as an audience spend with those characters, we know our character's objectives, we know their history. It really creates such a beautiful, rich tapestry because without any one of our ensemble members, this show would be incomplete and wrong. So every single member of this company is invaluable, and Jack makes us feel that way.

What’s it like getting to work with your fellow castmates?

CC: This cast is made up of some of the most incredible performers of our time. I feel that in Kevin Earley, who is our Captain, I have a wonderful scene partner. We have each other's backs. I think we've had the opportunity because Jack has given that to us to discover what the relationship between Maria and the Captain is and how we want to bring ourselves to that. The children, who play the Von Trapp family, are just so wonderful and inspiring and courageous, full of youthful curiosity that reminds us adults to tap back into that. Our wonderful ensemble, who are working overtime with all of their understudy tracks and to complete the world of this show. It's just a really magical group of people, and I think the audience can feel that as they watch the show.

In preparation for the role, did you do any research on the real Maria?

CC: I read her memoir, The Story of the Von Trapp Family Singers. I researched all that I could about the real Maria, because I think that was one of the elements in which I wanted to craft my own version. Like you said, there have been so many illustrious women who have taken on this role. I thought that something that would help give me insight into who this character is if I went back to the very original source. It's quite remarkable how much the book of this musical draws from Maria's book. It was really wonderful to discover her character.

Going back to the beginning, how did you first get started in the theatre?

CC: Well, I come from a show business family. Both of my parents are performers. My father's side of the family goes back many generations in vaudeville in England and in Scotland and even way further back in Italy. I grew up watching my father on stage. He's a multi-instrumentalist, a classic rocker. I grew up backstage in my mom's dressing rooms and green rooms. That's where I really caught the bug. I think that I started singing before I started forming words as a kid. It was something that was pretty unavoidable. My parents definitely encouraged me to explore other options and definitely looked for some more stable careers, but I was sold on performing from the youngest age.

Looking ahead into the future, what are some dream roles you’d love to pursue?

CC: Well, I think the answer that a lot of actors give, but is very truthful, is that my dream role hasn't been written yet. I'm getting a real taste of it now and last year when I had the privilege of originating Elsa in the U.S. regional premiere of Frozen. Just the opportunity to mold and craft a role entirely yourself is a really magical opportunity that I look forward to in the future. You know, Broadway is not the be-all end-all, but it is definitely a goal. You know, we're on the way.

For those who’d like to pursue a career in the theatre, where do you think would be a good place to start?

CC: Great question! I think that the best place to start is now. Whether or not that is in front of your friends and family, in front of an audience or just in front of your mirror. I think the best thing you can do for yourself is just start. Look up your favorite songs on YouTube, watch slime tutorials and bootlegs as much as you can. Go out and support live theater wherever you are. Whether it's a community theater production, or whether you're lucky enough to be able to afford a ticket on Broadway, which is getting harder and harder nowadays. One of the wonderful things that I love about the tour is that we are bringing Broadway caliber productions to people's front door no matter where they live. That is a very important mission nowadays to make theater accessible for every person, no matter who you are and where you come from. Get your friends involved with performing, stay in school and study all that you can, not just performing, but many other disciplines. I went to college at Columbia University and I did not study theater. I studied music and East Asian studies to learn Mandarin. I think the more well-rounded you can be in your education, the better an actor. So that would be my one thing. For those of us who are starting out in performing, I know it's so much easier said than done, but try not to judge yourself too harshly because I think judgment and self-criticism is the enemy of creativity. I say that from first person experience it's something I still struggle with. It's a lifelong journey and allows you to discover the joy of creating art.

Cayleigh, I thank you very much for devoting your time to this conversation. It was great getting to talk to you. For those who’d like to keep up with your career, where can people find you on the internet?

CC: You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @cayleigh.capaldi. You can also find me on my website, www.cayleighcapaldi.com. Be sure to follow @soundofmusicontour and visit our website, www.soundofmusicontour.com for upcoming tour dates