It’s common knowledge that when the dog bites, when the bee stings, or when you’re feeling sad, you can simply remember your favorite things for some relief. And when the world is just too much for any of that to be an effective balm? Perhaps you could benefit from the cozy (minus the Nazis) blanket of a familiar musical you could sing in your sleep. Enter the national tour of “The Sound of Music”, making the tour’s second stop at the Kennedy Center.
From the first Do-Re-Mi until (spoiler alert for anyone who has somehow not seen this show a million times) the von Trapp family is safely heading for the hills of Switzerland, this show hits all the nostalgia notes. That’s reinforced with the gorgeous set design (by Douglas W. Schmidt) that has all the rolling hills, drafty cloisters, and Austrian architecture you’d want and expect—minus what some might call a distressing absence of the classic gazebo for the “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” scene. Ultimately, that absence is of no consequence, as Rolf (Ian Coursey) manages to woo Leisl (the fantastic Ariana Ferch) despite being a bit more stern and decisively set on fascism than the average Rolf. (When Maria later assures Liesl that Rolf is simply trying to warn her father of what’s to come rather than stoke fascist flames, it feels like less of a foregone conclusion than usual. Then again, there’s that joyful barrel turn he pulls out of thin air in
the aforementioned song—which admittedly would have been harder in a tiny gazebo.)
Everyone’s favorite flibbertigibbet, Maria (Cayleigh Capaldi), proves she’s no problem to solve. Capaldi charms both the von Trapp children and the audience with her persistent and energetic attempts to bring both music and love back into the von Trapp home. It’s not her fault that the staged version of the show gives her character fewer demonstrable moments of falling in love with Captain von Trapp (Kevin Earley) than Julie Andrews had in the film version, and “Something Good” still manages to strike a sweet and intimate chord—as does Earley’s “Edelweiss”.
The lifeblood of this show is, as is nearly always the case, the supporting cast of nuns and children. Holy Mother of God, those nuns sound good—and not just during Mother Abbess’ (the great Christine Noll) rousing “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” but throughout the show and even when singing from the wings of the stage. As a group, the children are endearing in both their mischief and their eagerness to please. Individually, they also shine, including Gretl (Luciana Vandette) furiously flapping her wings as the cuckoo clock bird in “So Long, Farewell,” and Brigitta (Haddie Mac) dropping prescient questions and earnest hard truths on the adults in the room. (No doubt Brigitta would have something to say about the noticeable drop in theater manners of this Kennedy Center audience, which seemed to include many self-appointed exceptions to normal rules about no cell phone usage or talking during shows.)
Fly like a wild goose with the moon on your wings and go see this charming, feel-good show before it’s gone!
The Sound of Music is playing at The Kennedy Center Opera House through October 5, 2025. Tickets range from $49.00 – $225.00 Running time is 2 Hours and 45 minutes with one intermission. To purchase tickets, click HERE
A limited number of Rush tickets will be available for every performance at the Kennedy Center Box Office the day of the performance. $39 for Sunday evening through Thursdays and $49 for Fridays through Sunday matinees. Rush tickets become available 2 hours prior to each performance, with the exception of availability starting at 12 p.m. for Sunday matinees. Tickets are subject to availability and have no guaranteed location.
2 ticket max per person. Available to purchase in person only. Void if resold.
Booster seats are available on a limited basis. Patrons are welcome to bring their own.
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