The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music
National Touring Company
June 21-26, 2016
Buell Theater
Denver, CO

The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved movies of all time. In fact, it is more famous as a film than a stage musical. Most people are familiar with the songs and the storyline. However, the stage production is different and has a charm of its own.

This touring production was well cast. Maria practically sparkled with her enthusiasm and it was believable that she was a handful with the nuns at the convent where the story begins. The Von Trapp children were talented and interacted well with each other. Captain Von Trapp’s disciplined ways were not over the top.


The staging of the show was beautiful. The hills were often present in the background – almost becoming a character in their own right. The set smoothly changed from an ancient church to a luxurious mansion. Each set drew you in to the beauty of their beloved Austria homeland.

One exception to this would be the scene in the concert hall just after the German invasion. The backdrop was made of five huge red flags with swastikas emblazoned on them. The effect made the audience uncomfortable – sharing the feelings of Captain Von Trapp.

The name of the show is The Sound of Music for good reason. The music is beautiful. Of course, the score by Rodgers and Hammerstein is among the best ever written, but the way it was performed was worthy of the material. It was fun and playful and then serious and moving. Every song perfectly fit the mood of the scene.

But no song was more powerful than “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” While the actress playing Mother Superior struggled a bit (it wouldn’t surprise me if the altitude was the culprit), but she was able bring the house down by the finale.

This production was so well staged that the many children in the audience stayed captivated by it.

Goldilocks

Goldilocks
Arts in the Open
Chautauqua State Park
Boulder, CO
June 4 - July 31, 2016

I’ve attended productions by Theatre-Hikes Colorado for several years now. This year, they announced they were splitting from the Theatre-Hikes brand and branching off on their own. They have been rebranded Arts in the Open. After seeing their first production Goldilocks, I’m happy to report that aside from the name, nothing else has changed.

The group still performs at Chautauqua Park in Boulder. It’s a gorgeous backdrop for the play. The subject matter mostly appealed to families with children and many of them were so excited by the play they hardly noticed the moderate hike we took along the way.

Goldilocks is a new play by Patty Murtha, who has written for the hikes in the past. The main narrator was Officer Owl, who related the story of Goldilocks “crime” while she constantly interrupted to tell he side of the story. It was a fun premise.

The three bears were entertaining on their own. Each had their own distinct personality – Papa Bear constantly told silly jokes, Baby Bear used her extensive vocabulary to describe each situation and Mama Bear tried to keep everyone in check. Adding Goldilocks to their carefully organized life could only result in chaos – and it did.

All the characters were likable and the silly story line was enough to keep everyone engaged. The result was a fun afternoon in the great outdoors.

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast
National Touring Company
Buell Theater
Denver, CO
June 7-12, 2016

Presenting a story that an audience knows and loves is often a tough proposition. In the case of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, most of the people in attendance know the songs and script by heart. It’s a difficult task to make the material seem fresh.

Somehow the cast of this current tour managed exactly that. The cast were enthusiastic and not afraid to put their own spin on this well-loved story.

The actors were well suited for their roles. Belle was spunky, Gaston was handsome and arrogant and Lumiere was charming. Their timing together was perfect and never seemed stale.

The songs were performed perfectly. We felt Belle’s hope and the despair of the Beast. The production numbers were particularly outstanding. While some of the staging has been updated, the cups sequence in the song “Gaston” remains and was still as delightful as it was when the show was originally stages. The spectacle of “Be Our Guest” nearly brought the house down.

A touring show like Beauty and the Beast is bound to sell tickets based on the familiarity of the show and the appeal to children. The quality of this production however will likely bring audiences back every time it comes around.