REVIEW: The Sound of Music (Kennedy Center)
The Sound of Music is one of the most iconic musicals in the entire pantheon of the art form. But until this week, I had never seen it on stage — only the three-hour dulce de leche of a film with Julie Andrews. And as great as it is, I did want to check out what a fully-fleshed out staged production would look like. Now, to close out its 24-25 season, the Kennedy Center is kicking off a new national tour. And while the charm of the material is evergreen, similarly to 2024’s The Wiz, it frequently prioritizes a plastic nostalgia over the soul of a human-made artistic endeavor.
Book/Music
This is one of those shows I feel strange about reviewing the “material” of. Like what, am I going to be the guy that hates The Sound of f—ing Music?
But I do like to digest the shows I see regardless of their legacy. This being Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II’s final musical together, it serves as the culmination of their legacy as great American songsters. Some of the best earworms in their entire canon are found in Act I, between the title song, the inexplicably yuletide “My Favorite Things”, and the catchiest musical scale training device this side of the Cold War in “Do-Re-Mi”. The melodies are infectiously prevalent and though simplistic, are effortlessly effective in their characterization. There are some lyrics that float between strikingly vivid (“Gooses that fly with the moon on their wings”, for example) and cartoonishly bland (“La, a note to follow So”). This score is a complete package of artistic excellence, and is even if it’s not my favorite from R&H (South Pacific, for those curious), there’s no denying it’s one of the most vital listens of all time for anyone with a remote interest in musical theatre.
The book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse is layered and entertaining, too. Maria Rainer is a nun in 1938 Austria who is expelled from her abbey for a perceived lack of interest in the monastery life. Despite her protest, she is sent to become the governess of a local Navy captain’s seven children. She quickly uses her compassion and love of music to become the world’s best babysitter, and eventually swoons the captain himself. But in the background, the recently-empowered Nazis across the border are gearing up for an imminent invasion, leading to divisive politics that cast an ominous shadow over the bubbly optimism of this new family. In classic Golden Age fashion, it doesn’t take its overt political turn until Act II, but the stakes are foreboding and clear. The ending isn’t exactly “happy” in the traditional sense, given the context, which is a layer of emotional complexity that sets it apart from other musicals of the time. In today’s climate, and within certain venues, it’s a reflection of society then that is taking form in society now. 10/10
Acting
The ensemble, led by a charming Cayleigh Capaldi, are a jovial bunch with lots of quality; the best part of this largely soulless production. The Von Trapp children are a magnetic bunch, and Kevin Early is an assuredly stern and likeable Captain. 5/10
Production
Jack O’Brien directs this production, which feels alarmingly pedestrian besides a shocking moments in the final third that had the audience collectively holding its breath. The costumes by Jane Greenwood and Natasha Katz’ lighting design are fluffy Austrian chic that evoke an alpine dollhouse, and the orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett are lush. Curiously, there is a heavy reliance of projections, but no credited projection designer in the program.
Unfortunately, this does appear to be the result of the use of AI (Hard to credit millions of human artists at once, I guess.) Though I initially provided the benefit of the doubt when I noticed the smudgy, “painted” lines in the mountain valleys that blend objects together, it gets progressively worse. In the wedding scene, the stained glass is garishly asymmetric and does not follow the natural architectural order of a perspective line. Additionally, the character of the windows themselves are blobby in a way that is incoherent and incompatible with the realistic, painted vision of the physical sets. Most notably, the rays of light shining through them don’t all go in the same direction. This is visible within the house as well, when the light from the windows hitting the floor does not match the angle of the sun, nor the shape of the windowpane, nor the pattern of the frame that divides it. Though, there is apparent craftsmanship in Douglas W. Schmidt’s otherwise gorgeous sets, including laced walls that playfully pattern the projections and the ornate furnishings of the Maison Von Trapp. (CORRECTION: The producers of the tour have informed me that there was no AI used in this production.) 7/10
Viz
There’s a hefty reliance on classical theatre traditions: think big red curtain, and bold, colorful program art. It’s a corporate polish that matches the nature of this production, which seems to be banking on branding over a necessity for a revival of its themes. 5/10
Verdict
The Sound of Music reminds us that it’s still a crucial, all-time musical great, but this production’s lack of enthusiasm just leaves viewers craving the passion of the 1965 film. 27/40
