The Hills Are Alive
As "The Sound of Music"
Plays North Shore Music Theatre
June 11 - 23

Let’s start at the very beginning . . .award-winning North Shore Music Theatre will be alive with "The Sound of Music" from June 11 - 23. The production will be directed and choreographed by James Brennan, who helmed last season’s record-breaking production of "Annie." The venerable theater-in-the-round is located at 62 Dunham Road at Exit 20, just off Route 128, in Beverly.

The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein, "The Sound of Music" has became one of the world's most beloved musicals. When a novice nun in Austria proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed Navy Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain.

Featuring a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and a score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, "The Sound of Music" boasts a score filled with such memorable and well-loved songs as “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi” and “Edelweiss.”

The cast will be led by Lisa O'Hare playing Maria. Lisa returns to Beverly following her critically acclaimed performance in the 2011 production of "My Fair Lady." Her credits include stage roles in "Camelot," "Mary Poppins," "Gigi," "Copacabana," plus television appearances on “Castle,” “The Closer,” and “Undercovers.” Following the North Shore production, Lisa will be headed to Broadway in "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder."

Stage and screen actor David Andrew MacDonald will play Captain Georg von Trapp. David has appeared on Broadway in "Mamma Mia!," "Coram Boy," and "Two Shakespearean Actors," as well as in the national tour of Stephen Daldry’s "An Inspector Calls" for which he received a Jeff Award nomination in Chicago. His television credits include roles on “Sex and the City,” “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: SVU,” and an impressive ten year run playing Edmund Winslow on "The Guiding Light."

The 28 member cast also features Suzanne Ishee, James Beaman, Jacquelynne Fontaine, Deidre Haren , Andrew Tighe, and Osborn Focht, with Leigh Barrett, Bentley Black, Maureen Brennan, Stowe Brown, Joy Franz, Miranda Gelch, Leah Jennings, Mark Manley, Kevin B. McGlynn, Cheryl McMahon, Edward Miskie, Ellen Peterson, Meredith Swanson, and Dawn Tucker.

Several local young performers will play Captain von Trapp’s younger children, Newburyport resident Maggie Budzyna (Louisa von Trapp), Gloucester resident Giacomo Favazza (Kurt von Trapp), Lynnfield resident Paige Catherine Martino (Gretl von Trapp), Reading resident Kyle Mungenast (Friedrich von Trapp), Winthrop resident Haven Pereira (Marta von Trapp), and South Hamilton resident Bryn Smith (Brigita von Trapp).

Based on experiences in the life of Maria von Trapp, "The Sound of Music" originally opened at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1959, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. The film adaptation, winning five Academy Awards and starring Julie Andrews as the mischievous and free-spirited Maria, opened in 1965, quickly becoming one of the world's most popular films. It now ranks as one of the highest-grossing films ever.

Additional Free Audience Enrichment events:

Meet the Theatre
June 18, following the 7:30 p.m. performance
June 22 following the 2 p.m. performance
Audience members are invited to attend a post-show audience discussion with the artists.

OUT at the North Shore
June 20, following the 7:30 p.m. performance
An evening for the Gay and Lesbian Community with a post-show reception (sponsored in part by Ryan & Wood Inc. Distilleries and Sparkling Soirées).

The 2013 musical season continues with "The Wizard of Oz" (July 16 – 28), "Cats" (August 20 – September 1), "La Cage aux Folles" (September 24 - October 6) starring Charles Shaughnessy, "Miss Saigon" (November 5 - 17), and concludes with the return of "A Christmas Carol" (December 6 – 22), starring David Coffee, celebrating 20 years as Ebenezer Scrooge.

For tickets and information, stop by the box office, call 978-232-7200, or visit www.nsmt.org.