At the time of this writing, it’s been more than 17 hours since I walked out of “The Sound of Music” at Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and the songs are still bouncing around in my head like ping-pong balls in a never-ending game. Rodgers and Hammerstein had a way of writing those kinds of songs; you can go a decade without hearing “My Favorite Things,”
then hear it once, and it will implant itself in your cranium, only to be removed by a tune worthy enough to usurp it.
Which is all to say that when the source material is this unforgettable, it’s hard to see any production of “The Sound of Music” and not walk out beaming from ear to ear. Ironically, given that the story addresses the rise of Nazism, the musical epitomizes the best in escapist enchantment: There is no recession, no skyrocketing unemployment rate, no wars in the Middle East and no gun-toting psychos in Arizona, at least for the three hours that an erstwhile nun, a stern baron and his seven children get to know each other and themselves.
Maltz, which runs the musical through Jan. 30, has mounted a nearly Broadway-perfect production of the timeless work, with outstanding, ever-shifting sets and exceptional lighting and costume design. But excelling at these theatrical bells and whistles has always been Maltz’s forte, and this time, they’re matched by a radiant cast of out-of-town superstars.
Catherine Walker is an extraordinary Maria; everything from her speaking style to facial and body gestures shows that she studied Julie Andrews’ indelible movie performance to the T. April Woodall shows of an impressive set of pipes as the Mother Abbess, concluding Act One with a stirring rendition of “Climb Every Mountain.” The seven children – cast by locals – are uniformly charming and endearing. The only weak link in the cast is Michael Sharon, whose overplayed performance as Captain von Trapp stands out against his cast mates for all the wrong reasons: Cocking his head dramatically and speaking every line like he’s a soap-opera actor breaking monumental news, Sharon’s performance is a slight irritant that, thankfully, doesn’t diminish the impact of the wonderful production surrounding it.
If you want to see this show, I’d recommend calling the theater ASAP. Many of the remaining performances are already sold out. The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is at 1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter. Call 561/743-2666.
