One of the great musicals of all time returns to the stage this month at Milton Keynes Theatre – and it’s shaping up to be one of your favourite things!
This year is the 50th anniversary of the most successful movie musical in history but the extraordinary story of the world famous singing von Trapp family began more than 20 years earlier when Maria, the former novice nun, joined the family as governess to the children – and fell head over heels in love.
But with a world war imminent and the rise of the Nazi party in Germany an ever growing menace, life in their beloved Austria, a country on the brink of being swallowed up by the Third Reich, became as dangerous as it was romantic.
The details of the family’s search for happiness through to their thrilling escape to freedom was told in Baroness Maria von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, which inspired Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse to create the original Broadway musical in 1959.
The unforgettable score features some of the most memorable songs ever performed on stage, including Edelweiss, My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Climb Ev’ry Mountain, So Long, Farewell and of course, the title song, The Sound of Music.
Playing the iconic role of Maria von Trapp in this magnificent new production is Danielle Hope, who captured the hearts of the country when she won BBC Television’s Over the Rainbow and made her professional debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.
Well-known for his longstanding television roles in Coronation Street and London’s Burning, Olivier-Award nominated actor Steven Houghton is Captain von Trapp.
Joining Danielle and Steven and the rest of a talented cast are West End stars Jan Hartley as the Mother Abbess and Sarah Soetaert as Baroness Elsa Schrader.
Maybe you’ve never seen the film or the stage show – and there are still some who haven’t – or maybe you know all the words to all the songs and you’re a dab hand at turning a nice pair of curtains into five pinafore dresses and two pairs of shorts; either way The Sound of Music is perfect entertainment for the start of summer at Milton Keynes Theatre!

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