Big Noise Theatre promises Big finales and Big choices with The Sound of music

Featuring: Tuesdai B. Perry (Maria Rainer), Joselle Reyes (Liesl von Trapp) and the Do-Re-Mi cast - Brennan Monaghan (Friedrich von Trapp), Morgan Podlin (Louisa von Trapp), Brooks Stancato (Kurt von Trapp), Sara Deodhar (Brigitta von Trapp), Mabel Kimmeth (Marta von Trapp), and Melanie Podlin (Gretl von Trapp). Photo Credit: Brent Walker

Big Noise Theatre is bringing new life to The Sound of Music’s iconic hills Sept. 30 to Oct. 16. The Des Plaines theatre opens their season filled with big name musicals with the von Trapps and a commitment to inspiring audiences. Director, Travis Monroe Neese spoke with us about giving The Sound of Music some new shoes, not being shy, and a powerful ending you have to see for yourself.

Q. The Sound of Music is known and beloved by so many. How do you make it new and exciting for audiences?

A. Without a doubt, part of the challenge of taking on a show with the notoriety and size of The Sound of Music is that it leaves quite large shoes to fill. I made the conscious decision that I didn’t want to try and fill those shoes in the exact way that we have seen the show time and time again. To make things new and exciting, the creative team behind the table (Ben F. Locke as Assistant Director/Choreographer, Kara Spector as Vocal Director, and Aaron Kaplan as Orchestra Director) set out to assemble a group of artists to present a new way to look at this classic, through the lens of a 2022 audience. In doing so, we gave ourselves a goal to increase accessibility of this story to audiences and actors who may not necessarily see themself within it at first glance. Of course, the score is full of memorable songs and melodic ear-worms that you will be humming on your way out of the theatre, but this cast has been able to truly make this show their own instead of trying to replicate other performances or approaches to the show seen previously. We want to invite our audiences to walk away from the show with a new perspective; in doing so, it has truly become a beautiful testament to the immense talents we were fortunate enough to procure with this cast.

Q. For those who have never seen it on stage before, the memory of this production resides with the film. How do you take those sprawling vistas and spacious mansions and fit them on stage?

A. I have been absolutely spoiled by my creative team! Our set design by Lauren M. Nichols is a beautiful approach to the numerous locations, unlike any that I’ve seen for this show before. Additionally we will also be utilizing projections designed by Brent Walker to transport our audiences from location to location, allowing them to feel like the hills are truly alive with the sound of music!

Q. The production has two different casts that alternate shows, what was the catalyst for this choice? And what was it like to find two Marias?

A. (Note: the six youngest von Trapp children are double cast whereas Liesl, Rolf, + the remaining cast are all the same for ten performances) There were many contributing factors to the decision to double cast the von Trapp children with alternating shows. The most pressing was being cognizant of the health and safety of our young actors. The Sound of Music is no easy feat for a von Trapp child, as anyone who has played one of them can tell you! There are intricate harmonies, lots of choreography and blocking…It can be overwhelming, even for our adult cast members. We were also extremely fortunate to have SUCH a great turn out for our auditions and callbacks to mix and match various combinations of what could be our von Trapp family. Narrowing it down to just two casts was difficult in and of itself; I could have easily cast four or five groups of von Trapp children from the talented young actors that came out for Big Noise Theatre’s auditions.

Q. Although fun and beautiful, there is a moral decision to be made, something that rings true in today's world. How do you balance arts job to entertain and inspire?

A. An important aspect of this production in particular is that very fact: while this show is fun and beautiful, with classic songs that we all know and love, there is a very grim and oppressive force within the show that is still looming in our society today. While we are still honoring the show in a family-friendly way that audiences will come and enjoy, we are also not shying away from the darker aspects that are on the fringes of both the show and our current political and societal landscape. At the end of the day, the show is about staying true to oneself and what is right, when the world is asking you to do the opposite. It is a story of love and resiliency, but it is also a story of hardship, tragedy, and above all else the power of the human spirit and connection. We hope that the audiences are inspired with a call to action in order to stand up and make the right choice in those moments of difficult moral decisions.

Q. Is there a moment in the production that sticks with you?

A. Without giving too much away, the ending of our show has been stylized and staged in a unique way that speaks to the current events of our times. From the combination of the design elements of the show, the powerhouse talents of our cast, and beautiful full orchestra working in tandem, it has created a powerful ending that still blows me away each night. You’ll have to come and see it for yourself!