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Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Sixty-Three Years Ago, Tonight, This Opened On Broadway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                         For those out there who may not know, I am talking about "The Sound Of Music."  Mary Martin, Theodore Bikel and Company introduced this musical to the world, later to be iconized in the 1965 Julie Andrews movie, which we all know, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                           It opened at the still named Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.



                            The show often does not get the credit it deserves, so overshadowed by the film.  Paper Mill Playhouse, in Milburn, NJ, is doing a production of it, or is about to, and I would love to see it.  



                             The show beat out "Gypsy" for Best Musical in the TONY Awards, and Mary Martin beat out Ethel Merman for Best Actress In A Musical?  Can you believe it?????????????



                              Now, can anyone on here identify the original children?  I can.  Left, all standing, are--Mary Susan Locke (Marta), Joseph Stewart (Kurt), Evanna Lien (Gretel).  Next to her is Kathy Dunn (Louisa) and standing by her is Laurie Peters (Liesl).  Mary Martin is center, and to her left is Marilyn Rogers (Brigitta) and on the right is William Snowden (Friedrich).  As far as I know, all are still alive, save Marily Rogers, who died on October 13, 2010, at the age of 63.  If anyone out there knows more, kindly alert me on here.



                                  So, it is important to remember this opening, as I do not.


                                  It was just two days before my fifth birthday.



                                    Here is the title tune, sung by Mary Martin, Theodore Bikel, and The Children. Listen to how pure those young voices are.  It takes one's breath away!


2 comments:

Victoria said...

You got that right, it has been Completely overshadowed by the film!

The Raving Queen said...

Victoria,

Absolutely, and I certainly can understand.
But I have seen SOM several times on stage,
and it still works its magic.