The Sound of Music (From Your Local Guardian)

The Sound of Music

4:27pm Wednesday 4th January 2012 in Elmbridge

The new Walton Playhouse will be alive with ‘The Sound of Music’ in 2012, as Elmbridge Youth Theatre stages a lavish new production of the world’s favourite musical. Featuring a cast of forty youngsters, ‘The Sound of Music’ will be performed as a tribute to the late Richard Davis, who co-founded Elmbridge Youth Theatre. Fittingly, this will also be the first full scale musical to be presented at the newly refurbished Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton on Thames.

‘The Sound of Music’ is one of the most popular musicals of all time. Written by the legendary team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, the show has delighted audiences around the world for over fifty years. Telling the story of an inspirational governess who joins the talented Von Trapp family in Nazi occupied Austria, the musical features classic songs such as ‘Do-Re-Mi,’ ‘My Favourite Things’ and ‘Climb Every Mountain.’ The 1965 film version starred the Walton born Dame Julie Andrews and remains cinema’s best loved musical.

The Cecil Hepworth Playhouse will open its doors on 13th January 2012 and, following a pantomime from the Desborough Players, ‘The Sound of Music’ will be the first full scale musical to be staged in the newly refurbished theatre. Local born Julie Andrews - the Oscar winning star of the film - performed at the Playhouse in her youth, and a cast of forty young people between the ages of 7 and 24 will be following in her footsteps on the very same stage.

‘The Sound of Music’ is directed by EYT co-founder Carole Andrew, and is being staged as a tribute to Richard Davis who, along with Carole, ran Elmbridge Youth Theatre since its beginning in 1997. Richard directed most of the group’s productions during that time and before he passed away in 2011, selected ‘The Sound of Music’ to be EYT’s next production. Over the years Richard made a tremendous difference to the lives to hundreds of children in the area, both those he taught as Head of Drama at Rydens School, and those who joined Elmbridge Youth Theatre, and this production will be a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved to thank him.

‘The Sound of Music’ runs from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th January 2012, at the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse in Walton on Thames, with performances each evening at 7.30pm and a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced from £10 to £12 (except for Tuesday 24th January when all tickets are £5) and are available by calling 07905 936289 E-mail elmbridgeyouththeatre@ntlworld.com for further information Or visit www.elmbridgeyouththeatre.org.uk Based on information supplied by Carole Andrew.