The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is playing at TPAC's Jackson Hall from October 13 through October 18, as part of the North American tour of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic. It's the story most of us already know: the spirited novice Maria decides she'd rather not live behind closed doors and ends up learning to climb every mountain alongside the von Trapp family. Along the way come the songs that have stuck around for decades—'Do-Re-Mi', 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen', and 'Edelweiss'.

This production is staged by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, who also directed Hairspray. Cayleigh Capaldi takes on the role of Maria, with Kevin Earley as Captain Georg von Trapp and Lisa Howard as Mother Abbess. The music is by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The scenic design is by Douglas W. Schmidt, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Kai Harada, and conductor Jonathan Marro.

There's a bit of history behind the show that's easy to overlook. The book was suggested by The Trapp Family Singers, and the story came from Maria Augusta Trapp herself. Mary Martin originated the role of Maria on Broadway, and the 1965 Oscar-winning film adaptation recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, remaining one of the most successful movie musicals of all time.

If you're planning to go, there are plenty of options to fit your schedule. The show runs through Sunday, October 18, with performances on Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 PM; Friday, October 16 at 7:30 PM; Saturday, October 17 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM; and Sunday, October 18 at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM. All of them are at Jackson Hall, inside the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville.