‘The Sound of Music’ honors songs, mountains of story

EVERETT – There she is in our collective memory – Julie Andrews on an Alpine summit, arms outstretched, twirling as the camera zooms in on her and the Austrian scenery, travelogue-style. That image from the opening sequence of the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” has become an icon, emblazoned in the minds of every lover of American musical theater. Also resonating in our mind’s ear is Andrew’s perfect-pitch soprano voice singing, “I go to the hills when my heart is lonely. … “

Indeed, the hills are central to this story of the young Maria, a nun-in-training turned governess, who imports some of that soul-stirring spirit of the hills – alive with the sound of music – into the austere home of Captain von Trapp and his seven overdisciplined children. The mountains loom large in this story. They are a happy place of refuge for young Maria, as well as the escape route for Captain von Trapp, Maria and the children, who will traverse those mountains as they escape the Nazi regime to perform as the Trapp Family Singers.

Under the careful tutelage of director Susan Weingarten, the Northwest Savoyards have mounted a production of “The Sound of Music” that pays scrupulous attention to the mountains and all they represent. Perhaps we in the Northwest, like Maria, have a special affinity for mountains, after all.

Dispensing sage advice to Maria about what path to take in life is the Mother Abbess (Laurie Miller). In the winning “(How Do You Solve a Problem Like) Maria,” Miller sings with fellow sisters Berthe (Joyce E. Richardson), Sophia (Marcia Bridges) and Margaretta (Lisa Thiroux).

It’s not easy to find child actors who can deliver their lines with aplomb, much less sing and dance. The Savoyards have succeeded in assembling a marvelously talented group of youngsters in Ashleigh Emmons (Liesl); Jonathan Fine (Friedrich); Grace DiCrescentis (Louisa); Drake Slansky (Kurt); Lauren Rosenauer (Brigitta); Sierra Price (Marta); and little Kennedy Miller (Gretl).

Emmons, a Bothell High School sophomore, and Fine, an eighth-grader at Meadowdale Middle School, have especially impressive singing voices. A particularly winning number performed by the children is the clockwork-esque “So Long, Farewell.”

Kudos to director Susan Weingarten (who also masterminded set design and choreography); music director/conductor Doug Lewis; choreographers Megan Fenlin and Nicole Miller; and costumer Barbara Anderson. Special kudos are in order for sound designer Rob Martin, whose sound system has nicely boosted the fidelity of the orchestra. For this production, the Savoyards have wisely tucked the orchestra backstage and placed monitors at the footlights so that cast members may watch their conductor. The result is a much more satisfying full orchestra sound than is netted with the orchestra in front of the stage.

Lindsay Powers brings a very vibrant presence to the character of Maria. Her vocal range is quite pleasant, especially in the upper range. Like many in the cast, she is a local product, having attended Woodinville High School. She is a sophomore at the University of Washington and is pursuing a double major in communications and drama.

“The Sound of Music”: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through Feb. 18, PUD auditorium, 2320 California St., Everett; $20, $17 senior, youth, military; 866-811-4111, www.northwestsavoyards.org.

Steven Pendleton really grows into his role of Captain von Trapp as the show goes on. His solid singing voice anchors the stage, and he makes a believable transition from tyrannical military man to tender father and husband.

Bob Nydegger is the talent scout Max Detweiler; Marnie Osterud plays Baroness Elsa Schraeder, who knows enough to get out of the way when Maria comes on the scene; and Edward Phillips is Liesl’s fickle first love, Rolf Gruber.

The voice of Miller’s Mother Abbess soars resoundingly at show’s end in the moving “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”

Nathan Borcherdt photo

The von Trapp children in the Northwest Savoyards’ production of “The Sound of Music” are (clockwise from top) Lauren Rosenauer, Drake Slansky, Grace DiCrescentis, Jonathan Fine, Asheigh Emmons, Sierra Price and Kennedy Miller.