Surflight Theatre Presents THE SOUND OF MUSIC, 7/24

The hills are alive as Surflight Theatre continues its 2012 season with the heartwarming family classic, The Sound of Music. Directed and choreographed by Charles Abbott, with music direction by Ben Krauss, The Sound of Music opens July 24 and runs through August 25, 2012. Tickets ($36-$54) are available by calling 609-492-9477 or at www.surflight.org.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of award-winning Broadway Producers Timothy Laczynski (The Pee-Wee Herman Show, A Christmas Story), Executive Producer and Roy Miller (A Christmas Story, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, West Side Story, The Drowsy Chaperone, Ragtime, and the upcoming new musical Animal House) Artistic Director, are proud to present this family friendly classic, last seen on the Surflight stage in 2000.

Based on Maria von Trapp's inspiring novel, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers," The Sound of Music features an unforgettable score by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story revolves around Maria; a free-spirited, aspiring nun assigned to serve as a governess who restores harmony to the von Trapp family before the Nazi Anschluss forces them to flee their beloved homeland.

The unforgettable score features some of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most beloved songs including "The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Edelweiss," and "Climb Every Mountain." Surflight's production also features two songs written by Richard Rodgers for the film version, "I Have Confidence" and "Something Good."

The cast for Surflight's The Sound of Music includes Crystal Kellogg (Maria), Al Bundonis (Capt. Von Trapp), Megan Thomas (Mother Abbess), John-Charles Kelly (Max Detweiler), Kristen Marie (Elsa Schraeder), Jenavene Bazacas (Liesl), Sasha Hayden Zitofsky (Friedrich), Devlin Stark (Louisa), Gavin Brennan (Kurt), Sienna Grinwald-Alves (Brigitta), Hadley Magaziner (Marta), Nina Randazzo (Gretl), Marsha Waterbury (Sister Berthe), Jessica Kelly (Frau Schmidt), Kayley Anne Collins (Sr. Margaretta), Seth Bazacas (Franz), Daniel Plimpton (Rolf), Alliy Drago (Sister Sophia), Vincent D'Elia (Baron Elberfeld/Admiral von Schreiber), Mike Longo (Herr Zeller), Melissa Rose Hirsch (Frau Zeller), P.J. Adzima, Emily Brennan, Sarah Feinmark, Alexandra London, Jennifer Margulis, Colton Pometta, Chrissy Hartzell, Jillian Riley, Rob Ryan, and Scott Shaefitz.

The production team of The Sound of Music includes Kevin Allen (Set Designer), Cathleen Edwards (Costume Designer), Sam Gordon (Lights), and Alan Douches (Sound). Kevin Clutz is production stage manager and Julie Watson production manager.

The final collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein was destined to become the world's most beloved musical. The Sound of Music opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16, 1959. Starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, with direction by Vincent Donohue and choreography by Joe Layton, The Sound of Music ran in New York for a total of 1,433 performances, and won 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical (it tied with Fiorello!). Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer starred in the universally acclaimed 1965 Academy Award-winning film version. Hallmark produced a 1998 Broadway revival that starred Rebecca Luker and Michael Seberry, who were succeeded by Laura Benanti and Richard Chamberlain. Since its Broadway debut in 1959 the score for: The Sound of Music has captivated theater and movie-goers all over the world, and its timeless story line-the joys of love and family threatened by impending war-continues to resonate with audiences, especially today as we experience a world in conflict.