REVIEW: Paper Mill is alive with ‘The Sound of Music’
Photo: The Sound of Music stars Ashley Blanchet in the iconic role of Maria. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Daniel / Provided by The Press Room with permission.
MILLBURN, N.J. — The Paper Mill Playhouse’s current revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is simply exquisite. The staging by director Mark S. Hoebee, who is also producing artistic director of Paper Mill, is spot-on, bringing new life to this late-1950s musical gem. The casting is superb, with Ashley Blanchet leading the way as Maria Rainer, the nun-turned-governess who leads the Von Trapp children in song and sound advice. Honestly, this Sound of Music seems readymade for Broadway one day; there’s almost no room for improvement.
Blanchet’s voice is strong and beautifully realized as Maria. She commands the stage with such iconic songs as “The Sound of Music,” “My Favorite Things,” “I Have Confidence” and “Do-Re Mi.” Blanchet, who was previously seen in the title role of Cinderella at Paper Mill, has a wondrous stage presence and a full understanding of her character; it’s not hard to believe she would heavily influence the Nonnberg Abbey and the Von Trapp household. Maria blows in like a hurricane, refusing to be anyone but herself and showcasing leadership in the face of adversity, including from Captain Georg von Trapp (Graham Rowat).
Other impressive additions to the cast include Rowat as the captain, a stern figure who brings a militaristic style to his parental duties; Cáitlín Burke as the Mother Abbess, a character who receives a near-standing ovation for the Act I finale of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”; Gavin Lee, star of Broadway’s Mary Poppins and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, as Max Detweiler, a somewhat mysterious figure who is willing to negotiate with the advancing Nazi Party in order to secure a better future for himself under the new regime; and Emily Borromeo as Elsa Schraeder, who offers a wonderful trio with Max and the Captain in “How Can Love Survive?” and “No Way to Stop It.”
[Read Hollywood Soapbox’s interview with Ashley Blanchet and Gavin Lee.]
The singing from the company, including the many young actors who bring the von Trapp children to life, is remarkable and perfectly on point. Analise Scarpaci plays 16-year-old (going on 17) Liesl, who falls for a local boy, but is then met with an unthinkable reality when her comfortable life begins to crumble. There’s also Friedrich (Coleman Simmons), Louisa (Jacey Sink), Kurt (Cody Braverman), Brigitta (Tara Rajan), Marta (Austin Elle Fisher) and Gretl, the youngest (Charlotte Sydney Harrington).
The scenic design, originally by James Fouchard with additional elements by Kelly James Tighe, is appropriately breathtaking and beautiful, featuring a number of intricately designed backdrops that transport the Paper Mill stage from an abbey to the rolling hills of the Austrian countryside. Catherine Zuber’s original costumes, with design by Leon Dobkowski, are colorful and fitting for the sweeping, epic story.
The three-hour show never drags and finds the right balance between humor and seriousness. This can be a challenging musical to pull off because the subject matter grows quite dark in Act II, when Nazi officials raid the von Trapp estate, forcing the family into some difficult decisions. Hoebee brings a deft hand to the proceedings, never forgetting the horrible history on display and yet also finding the humanity amongst this loving family.
One would be hard pressed to find a better rendition of this 1938-set show than the current revival by the Paper Mill Playhouse. This Tony-winning regional theater, located approximately one hour from New York City, has a fine reputation for producing large-scale musicals and plays for adoring audiences, and certainly The Sound of Music can be added to their long list of accomplishments.
This musical revival is alive with the sound of music, indeed.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Sound of Music, directed by Mark S. Hoebee, continues through Sunday, Jan. 1 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Starring Ashley Blanchet, Emily Borromeo, Analise Scarpaci, Cáitlín Burke, Gavin Lee and Graham Rowat. Running time: 3 hours, including one 15-minute intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.
