Rachel Carroll is a ball of energy. And she can sing. It's a good combination, as she will star in one of the leading roles in St. Thomas More High School's "The Sound of Music" this week.
"We've all been working really hard," said Carroll, a 17-year-old junior who moved to the area from New York in August. Carroll will play the role of Maria Rainer, who is also known for boundless energy and optimism."I was so excited when I got the lead I could hardly stand it," Carroll said.
The rehearsals have been intense, she added, and she's convinced the show is going to be a glowing success.
Director Mikal Kraklio thinks it's going to go smoothly, as well.
"It's amazing how everybody came together to mount such a large production, and people should be aware of that and they should celebrate," he said.
The high school historically does one production a year, but something on a much smaller scale than a musical.
The idea to do a musical came from music faculty members Lloyd Potter and Angela Weber, who began making plans to produce a large musical last May. Weber serves as musical director for the production, and Potter will conduct the orchestra and cast during the performance.Only one other musical has been staged by the school, and it had a cast of nine, Weber said. "The Sound of Music" has 35 cast members, and will be accompanied by 16 orchestra students from the school.
"The rehearsals have been awesome," Kraklio said.
"It's the first time they've jumped into a project this large, and they're proving to themselves they can do it and do it rather well," he said.
The version St. Thomas More will be performing is the cut-and-dried version, Kraklio said.
"We didn't deviate from the script at all," he said.
Most people know "The Sound of Music" from the movie, which is different from the book, he said.
"People will recognize the characters, but songs are at different points," he said. "It's the same story, just told in a different format."
The play is celebrating 50 years since its Broadway debut and is centered on the true story of Trapp Family Singers. The show premiered in 1959. Rodgers and Hammerstein's final musical collaboration features "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "My Favorite Things" and, the most well-known song, "The Sound of Music."
In the play, the Mother Abbess (sophomore Jackie Wilson) decides to send Maria to the household of the widower Captain Von Trapp (sophomore Andy Hanson) to serve as a governess for his seven children (senior Lauren Jaeger, juniors Aaron Vidal and Mary Wade, sophomore Megan Raposa, freshman Max Wesolick, seventh-grader Megan Schlicte and sixth-grader Abbey Hilt).
Maria finds the captain's stern manner unnecessary and she sets out to teach the children about the joy of music. Their clash eventually turns to romance, forcing the captain to choose between Maria and his fiancee, Elsa Schraeder (junior Mary Bradsky). The action of the play is set against the dramatic backdrop of World War II and the Nazi occupation of Austria.
Marnie Gould, production manager, said it has been a unique challenge finding costumes for 35 cast members, many of whom have multiple costume changes throughout the show.
The St. Martin Monastery, where the show is being held, donated old curtains for one scene. Some of the costumes will be rented from Black Hills Community Theatre and the rest will be sewn by parents and supporters.
"It's been a cooperative venture," she said, laughing.
Kraklio said he's impressed with the way the cast, the school and families have come together to bring the production to the stage.
"I'm proud of them for taking on the challenge," he said.
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