A refreshed version of the classic ‘The Sound of Music’ opens at Segerstrom
He was a jock who played on the high school basketball team and helped win several games.
But after challenging the authority of the coach, the varsity player quit and headed for a different kind of play.
The stage drama variety, that is.
“That pretty much bodes well with my character, doesn’t it?” quipped actor Ben Davis, suggesting that his in-your-face style with the coach mimics the domineering ways of the man he plays, Capt. Georg von Trapp, the patriarch of the family who served as the inspiration for the musical “The Sound of Music.”
A new production of the beloved story opened in Orange County July 19 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and will run until July 31.
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Under the direction of three-time Tony Award-winner Jack O’Brien, it continues to feature the music of Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, but the material has been freshened.
First, two songs that are not in the film have been added. They are sung by Frau Schraeder, the captain’s jilted fiancée, and her friend Max Detweiler.
Also, the audience will see more vivid colors, but the range may be dramatic. Sets can shift to a brightly painted background of Alpines from a dark cathedral.
The musical tells the story of Maria Rainer, who takes a job as a governess to a family of seven children. She eventually falls in love with the rowdy children and their widowed and domineering father, a naval commander.
The script is an American classic, said Davis, who added that he feels privileged to be playing a character that he can feel sympathy and appreciation for.
“He’s not a mean guy,” Davis explained of his character’s gruff demeanor. “His children remind him too much of what he lost. I found this sense of humanity in him and I could understand him. I love the hope, sense of family and his renewal in love.”
Opposite Davis is Kerstin Anderson as Maria. The actress, a current student at Pace University in New York, beat out hundreds who auditioned to win the role. This will mark her first national tour.
Davis has starred in “Kiss Me, Kate” at London’s Royal Albert Hall and has television and film credits, including “30 Rock” and “The Magic Flute.”
The updated show arrives at a significant time: 2015 marked the 50th anniversary of the film version, which continues to be among the most successful movie musicals in history.
That success prompted producer Beth Williams and Ted Chapin, president of the Rodgers & Hammerstein company, to collaborate on the version that would become a major national tour.
The creative team, with O’Brien as director, focused on creating a new stage production to engage theatergoers, with the traditional story and best-loved songs, like “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” and “Edelweiss.”
Its beloved plot and score continue to delight audiences while remaining adept at moving with the times, Davis said.
“The thing about ‘The Sound of Music’ is that it has played a part in every audience member’s childhood,” he said. “You see people bringing their grandchildren — the next generation — to watch it. That’s the fun part.”
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What: “The Sound of Music”
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays until July 31
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: Tickets start at $29
Information: (714) 556-2787 or visit scfta.org
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Kathleen Luppi, kathleen.luppi@latimes.com
Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
