By Jeremy Cappello Lee

It baffles me why the Sound of Music stands as one of the most popular musicals in history.

The plot – part Romeo and Juliet and part Disney Princess feel-good goop – has all the ingredients for a really bad soap opera. Senior Rosalie Simoneau stars as the carefree Maria Rainer, sent forth from Nonnberg Abbey’s cloistered walls to try her hand as a governess. She soon encounters the stern and staunchly Austrian Georg von Trapp, played by junior Peter Hillebrand, father of seven children who are devious enough to put frogs in former governesses’ sheets, but somehow take a liking to this saintly young postulate after a few minutes.

Convenient, far too convenient.

Standing in the way of Georg and Maria’s inevitable nuptial bliss is the opportunist Elsa Schrader, tactfully played by Anna Medill – whose saccharine smile made both von Trapp kids and audiences cringe a little – and the not-so-subtle foreshadowing of the imminent Anschluss and Nazi takeover.

Eventually, against all odds, true love – in the most cliche sense of the word – prevails, and the happy new family flees to Switzerland in the nick of time, thanks to a perfectly executed getaway.

Despite the perceived shortcomings in the plot, however, with the Rodgers and Hammerstein stamp of approval, and under the direction of the multitalented Nicki Pitman, our small and inexperienced TPA cast drove four sold-out audiences to raucous applause (and a few tears).

Aside from the countless hours of dedication put in by cast, crew, director, and volunteers, the reasons for success are numerous. From the tender choreography between Rolf and Liesl, played by Andrew Stough and Gab Ortiz, respectively, to Georg von Trapp’s heart-melting rendition of “Edelweiss,” the production reflects the skills of our TPA cast members.

Humor and wit abound in equal parts. If there was any tension brewing in the story, Ben LeBeau, playing a very sanguine Uncle Max, dispels any uneasiness with his well-timed quips and strong characterization. Not to forget the von Trapp boys singing falsetto in far-too-small curtain shorts, Father Sprout and his cadre of relatively dwarfed nuns, and the flurry of forced rhymes (auf wiedersehen, limousine) at the encore.

Perhaps the great tragedy of the show is that it is Director Pitman’s last one at Tempe Prep. Through her superhuman efforts, she has transformed the opera workshop program into one loved and appreciated by hundreds of TPA families and friends.

Her final thoughts: “I am truly pleased and proud of all of the performances in the show. All of the actors grew so much in their roles and strong bonds were formed between them on and off stage. Having four performances really gives the show and the performers an opportunity to delve deeper, let go more, and enjoy the ride. It was a great way for me, personally, to end my career at TPA. I am very grateful.”

Many thanks to Ms. Pitman, and to the cast and crew, for putting on a truly spectacular production!