October 9, 2022

‘STELLAR’ CAST LINED UP FOR 45TH ROTARY MUSICAL SOUND OF MUSIC

BRACEBRIDGE — There’s a lot to be thankful for this holiday weekend with one of the best Cavalcades of Colour in Muskoka in decades.

But if you’re a thespian or wannabe who loves the Sound of Music, you’ve already checked your email and have spread the joy with family and friends that this Thanksgiving the Muskoka hills are alive echoing with the sound of your voice shouting from the Maple Leaf tree tops.

The Bracebridge Rotary Club’s creative team has cast most of its characters for its annual winter musical (see below).

And it looks like No. 45 is going to another guaranteed winner this winter.

Producer Jean Polak and director Emma Phillips have put together a “stellar” cast of the true life story of the Georg von Trapp family singers and led by Hannah Archibald as Maria and Parres Allen as “The Captain.”

The couple will share the stage with past, present and future stars of Muskoka’s lively community theatre.

Assistant director Earl Sacrey gushed about the announcement yesterday in a much-anticipated email for dozens of actors, singers and dancers who auditioned their hearts out last weekend.

“Welcome aboard! I’m so excited to announce our stellar cast. The process is now (mostly) complete, and you can announce your role to anyone in your life.

“I wanted the information public in time for you to gush to your families over the long weekend.”

Among those who can feast on his role is little Pearson Butler-Commins, who will be the youngest von Trapp child. Although that child was a girl in the movie, they have made the role a boy since Pearson did such a great audition.

The first rehearsal is Nov. 13 at the same Rotary Youth Centre.

Sacrey says director Phillips “would like us to come with an open mind about our characters until rehearsals start, and then we can make choices together in the room.”

He adds: “This is my third Rotary Show, and I’m the least experienced person on the creative team. We keep coming back because of the quality of the production that we put together and because of the fun that we have along the way. It’s a wonderful community to be a part of. To those of you who are veterans, welcome back, I’m looking forward to working together again. And to those of you who are new, buckle up. You’re going to love it here.

“This weekend, I’ll be thankful for the road ahead, and the opportunity to be a part of this production.

The Sound of Music cast:

Maria Rainer — Hannah Archibald

Sister Berthe — Pru Donaldson

Sister Margaretta — Addyson Wing

Mother Abbess — Nicole Louise Moore

Sister Sophia — Kailey Richter

Captain Georg von Trapp — Parres Allen

Franz — Mark Clairmont

Frau Schmidt — Paula McIsaac

Liesl — Arlo Henderson

Louisa — Lyla Stanton

Friedrich — Jake Richter

Brigitta — Andi Stevenson

Kurt — Jack Stanton

Marta — Alex Goodfellow

Gretl (name to be changed) — Pearson Butler-Commins

Rolf Gruber — Spencer Cameron

Elsa Schraeder — Aussa Penniall

Max Detweiler — Brian Jones

Neighbours of Captain von Trapp, nuns, novices, postulants, contestants in the festival concert:

Lillian Armstrong, Grace Henderson, Bee Beaudoin, Allison Jones, Holly Beaudoin, Paula McIsaac, Ellen Carlton, Molly McKenna, Dawn Connell, Gregory Morris, Ruby Coyne, Tara Murray, Victoria Hammond and Eve Welcher. And possibly more to come.

The shows run Thursday Feb. 23 (gala) and Feb. 24-26; followed the next weekend Thursday to Saturday March 2-5.