Arts & Entertainment

Avon Summer Theater Is Alive with 'The Sound of Music'

Before Julie Andrews starred as Maria in the 1965 film version of "The Sound of Music" based on the von Trapp family, there was the musical on Broadway in 1959.

This weekend, Avon Summer Theater brings the Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic to the Avon High School stage.

To view more of our pictures of the play in action, go to the Avon Patch Facebook page

Set in Austria during the rise of the Nazis, the play follows the story of Maria Rainer, a young woman who initially tries to become a nun and is hired as a governess at the home of strict war veteran Georg von Trapp when it is not working out. There, she takes care of von Trapp's seven children and brings the music she was forbidden to sing and play in the abbey and her joy into their lives.

The backdrop rented from Kenmark Studios and Las Vegas brings you into the famous Austrian mountains that Maria sings about.

Director Doreen Cohn, of Simsbury, cast Farmington Valley and West Hartford actors from seventh grade to recent high school graduates in the show. The one exception is Granby third grader Sophia Cote as Gretl, the youngest von Trapp. 

"She's just a natural born actor," Avon rising senior Cole Petano (Captain Georg von Trapp) said, adding that her next desired role is Cosette from "Les Miserables."

Recent Avon High School graduate Ruy Zambrano graces his high school stage one more time in "The Sound of Music," bringing his dance experience to the character of Rolf Gruber. He even dyed his hair bleach blonde for the role. Zambrano also doubles as Admiral von Schreiber. Listen for his sinister Austrian accent.

Next year, he will attend Connecticut College with co-star Amanda Pratt (Maria), a Kingswood Oxford graduate and Farmington resident, to study the performing arts.

Zambrano's fellow Avon High School graduate Thomas te Groen (Max Detweiler) also is having his swan song performance on the high school stage as Max Detweiller in the production.

Cohn said the age range of the von Trapp children makes it more believable that they're a family of children.

The actors playing the von Trapp family have spent time bonding, forming inside jokes and coming up with nicknames to build the family chemistry of the characters.

"I like to treat them like my children because they are my children," said Pratt, who has done summer theater in Avon every year since 2008.

Cohn said that the challenge of doing a show that people are so familiar with is that people may have certain expectations based on what they've seen. 

That's one thing Pratt kept in mind when playing Maria, but she also tried to bring her own flare to the character.

"No one can copy Julie Andrews," she said, adding that she took her vocal teacher's advice when stepping into the role of Maria. 

"Sing it like no on has ever heard it before," she said. "You have to bring someone new to it."

Don't expect the movie when you come to the show because the stage version has a slightly different structure. Most noticeably, the placements of certain songs like "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss" and "Lonely Goatherd" are not the same as in the movie. There are also some songs that aren't in the film. However, this production pays tribute to parts of the movie in references like the marionette movements choreographer Terry Rowe wove into "Lonely Goat Herd," a puppet show in the film.

A lot of research went into the production to bring historical precision to the Avon play. The attention to detail is apparent in everything from the genuflex of the nuns' prayer to the Nazi arm band in some of the costumes. Some of the actors have background speaking German, so Cohn said that also helped.

Terri Schulman, of Avon, is assistant director, Ken Jones, of Canton, is technical director, Diana Lawler, of Canton, is the accompanist and music director, and Gabriel Pellino, an Avon High School graduate and rising sophomore at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, is conducting. Avon's Peggy Beuregard, whose daughters are in the show, is the producer and house manager, Simsbury resident Cindy Braunlich did costume design, Ralph Torone is the assistant technical director and Charley DeMars is the technical advisor.

The show runs July 25-27 at 7:30 p.m. and July 28 at 2 p.m. at Avon High School at 510 West Avon Rd. Box office purchase information is available at www.avonsummertheater.com and people can also buy tickets online. 

Cast (in order of appearance):

  • Maria Rainer: Amanda Pratt, of Farmington
  • The Mother Abbess: Alison Pascale, of Avon 
  • Sister Berthe, mistress of Novices: Inga Smith, of West Hartford
  • Sister Margaretta, Mistress of Postulants: Kylie Whalen, of Avon
  • Sister Sophia: Sarah Walters, of Avon
  • Captain Georg von Trapp: Cole Petano, of Avon 
  • Franz, the butler: Ryan Culligan, of Avon
  • Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper: Nicole Rynne
von Trapp Children
  • Liesl: Abigail Inglis, of Avon
  • Friedrich: Jonathan Smith, of Canton
  • Kurt: Devon McLane, of Avon
  • Louisa: Emma Frawley, of Canton
  • Brigitta: Kate Casner, of Avon
  • Marta: Rachel Beauregard
  • Gretl: Sophia Cote, of Granby
  • Rolf Gruber: Ruy Zambrano, of Avon
  • Elsa Schraeder: Caitlin Culligan, of Avon
  • Max Detweiler: Thomas te Groen
  • Herr Zeller: Bryce Neseralla, of Avon
  • Baron Elberfeld: Matt Thureson
  • A New Postulant: Megan Beauregard
  • Admiral von Schreiber: Ruy Zambrano
  • Quartet of Saengerbund of Herwegen: Elizabeth D'Arcangelo, of Avon, Jori Dudzikowski, of Avon, Rachel Rosenfield, of Avon, and Marisa Canova, of Avon
  • Nuns, Postulants, Monks, Neighbors of Captain von Trapp: Megan Beauregard, Julia Canova, Marisa Canova, Elizabeth D'Arcangelo, Jori Dudzikowski, Bryce Neseralla, Rachel Rosenfield, Matt Thureson and Kelsey Tyler.
Orchestra
  • Piano: Diana Lawler
  • Violin I: Eric Liu, of Avon
  • Violin II: Taylor Edgar, of Avon
  • Viola: Dev Dubke, of Avon
  • Clarinet: Emily Guersch, of Avon
  • Oboe: Jenna Stanwood, of Canton
  • French horn: Tomas Sisson, of Avon
  • Flute/piccolo: Emily Inglis
  • Trumpet: David Carpenter
  • Trombone: Colby Buehler, of Canton
  • Bass: Lucas Rich, of Canton
  • Percussion: Dan Volpe, of Avon
Crew
  • Costume design assistants: Beth Inglis, Julie Thurston, Dara Arens, Peggy Beauregard, Alison Pascale
  • Stage manager: Isabella Pellino, of Avon
  • Assistant stage manager: Jessica Wert, of Avon
  • Technical assistant: Abby Morgan, of Avon
  • Artistic consultant: Matt Messina, of Avon
  • Scenic advisor: Nina Mallery, of Avon
  • Crew chief: Lizzy Wozniak, of Avon
  • Stage crew: Brian Barger, of Canton, Anna Duffy, of Avon, Ruby Holt, of Avon, Sarah Keller, of Avon, Allison McLaughlin, of Avon, Noelle Roboul, of Avon
  • Lighting: Keller, Olivia Messina, of Avon, Erika Nardi, of Canton, Grace Robinson, of Avon, and Mike Thramann, of Avon
  • Sound: Jennifer Hudak, of Avon, Glenn Korner, of Canton and Ryan Zelazny, of Canton
  • Properties and wardrobe: Holt, Carly Regalado, of Avon, Tony Yang, of Avon
  • Hair and makeup: Ryan Pereslugoff
  • Sets: everyone!


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