Alex: ‘scintillating’ Sound of Music

Since premiering on Broadway in 1959, The Sound of Music has become “a favourite thing” for a lot of people.

An original stage production has opened at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius. At the start of the play, Maria (Julie Martell) wants to be a nun, and struggles with conflicting emotions when assigned as governess to seven children.

“I see her as lovable and feisty and fearless and it’s really important just to tell this story with a lot of truth and honesty.”

Maria’s spiritual beliefs are a barrier at first to the blossoming attraction between her and the childrens’ widowed father, played here by Rejean Cournoyer.

“He’s never a villain, he’s just a broken man who once loved and learns to love again and open his heart up again after it was broken.”

The narrative, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s enduring songs certainly touch the heart. Martell calls them a blessing to sing. “It’s incredibly daunting, and that was really hard for me to kind of get over these iconic songs, especially you know, you come out of the gate singing ‘the hills are alive’, but they’re beautiful.

Cournoyer concurs, saying “these are classics for a reason, and even if you look at the music, the way it’s been composed, the way it’s been arranged, there are reasons under every single note on the page.”

“It’s sort of our job to figure out why they’re there because it’s absolutely crucial to the story.”

In so many ways, Julie Martell’s voice carries the show. Her impish vulnerability captivates the children, the captain, and us.

The scintillating quality of this production makes it “one of my favorite things.”

You know, the hills have been alive with the sound of music ever since this show bowed on Broadway and then its subsequent translation to the big screen, which found success. Now the greater Hamilton area can enjoy their gift from Theatre Aquarius.

The Theatre Aquarius production continues through January 4th at Hamilton’s Dofasco Centre for the Arts.