No, it's not Julie Andrews but Lucy Victory as Maria and co-star Harley Alexander as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, along with one cast of von Trapp children, from left, Darcy Clarke, 9, River Oszajca, 11, Evie Doull, 13, Bronte Clarke, 9, Lydia Bailie-Bellew, 16, Jack Laird, 13, and Natalie Collins, 11. Photo / Peter de Graaf
No, it's not Julie Andrews but Lucy Victory as Maria and co-star Harley Alexander as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, along with one cast of von Trapp children, from left, Darcy Clarke, 9, River Oszajca, 11, Evie Doull, 13, Bronte Clarke, 9, Lydia Bailie-Bellew, 16, Jack Laird, 13, and Natalie Collins, 11. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The hills of the Far North are about to come alive with the sound of music as a theatre company prepares to stage one of the world's best known musicals.
Kerikeri Theatre Company is performing The Sound of Music as its first big post-Covid production — the classic Rodgers andHammerstein musical about love and the power of song set against the Nazi occupation of Europe in World War II.
The production features almost 60 Northland singers and actors as well as a big backstage crew.
Maria (Lucy Victory of Doubtless Bay) has the von Trapp children's attention during a picnic in the Austrian Alps, or is it Kerikeri Basin? Photo / Peter de Graaf
President Harley Alexander, who plays the part of the emotionally stilted Captain von Trapp, said it was the company's first large-scale production since the Covid pandemic disrupted live theatre last year.
''What we wanted to do was give the people of the Far North a reason to come back to the theatre with something traditional, familiar and popular. It is a traditional version but we are making a real effort to make it fresh.''
Alexander said Kylie Penn, of The Magic Playhouse, had been brought in as director for her experience as well as her knack for bringing ''a fresh vibe''.
Lucy Victory stars as Maria in the upcoming show The Sound of Music alongside Harley Alexander as Captain von Trapp and one cast of von Trapp children, from left, Winter Oszajca, 8, Monique Topia, 12, River Oszajca, 11, Natalie Collins, 11, William Blake, 16, Jada Rolston, 17, and Charlotte Williams, 14. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The part of Maria, governess to the von Trapp children, is performed by Lucy Victory — better known at home in Doubtless Bay as Lucy Houtas, who performed in London's West End before moving to New Zealand and, until Covid hit, coaching a community choir in Kaitaia.
The company has so many talented youngsters to choose from, aged as young as eight, they have assembled two casts of von Trapp children to perform alternate shows.
''We want the people of the Far North to come away from the theatre with a smile on their faces and a song in their hearts,'' Alexander said.
■ The Sound of Music will be performed at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri on July 7-11, including school and public matinees. Go to www.turnercentre.co.nz for more information or to book tickets.
