The Hills Are Alive: Meet the Cast of The Sound of Music
(SPOT.ph) Most of us are familiar with the songs "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favorite Things" probably because we had to memorize them in kindergarten. These tunes actually came from the musical The Sound of Music; and if you wish to see it onstage, the international tour is already in Manila with show dates until March 26 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. The Sound of Music ticket prices start at P1,500.
The Sound of Music is a timeless classic appreciated by many generations, especially its movie musical adaptation (1965) starring Julie Andrews. The story follows Maria Rainer who takes a job as governess to a large family. She later falls in love with the kids' widowed father, Captain von Trapp. Based on the memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers which is set in 1938 Austria, The Sound of Music is a creative collaboration between Richard Rodger (music), Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), and Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse (book).
Here's the complete list of the cast of The Sound of Music's Manila show:
Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer
A proud dog mom, Jill-Christine Wiley from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania started acting at the age of nine. She previously played the role of Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel, Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid, Sharpay Evans in High School Musical 2, Louisa in The Fantasticks, and Beth in Little Women The Musical. Following two years of The Sound of Music's national tour in the United States, she reprises her role as Maria Rainer in the international tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein masterpiece.
Trevor Martin as Captain Von Trapp
Based in New York City, Trevor Martin is described as a "classically-trained baritone, perfect for the Golden Age of musical theater." Career highlights include: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), and West Side Story (Riff). He was a quarterfinalist in the American Traditions Competition for 2021.
Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess
Having been born to a guitarist and the granddaughter of opera singers, it doesn't come as a surprise that Lauren Kidwell is now an actor, singer-songwriter, director, and audition coach. She majored in theater arts in college and earned a master's degree in musical theater from the Boston Conservatory. A soprano, she has previously played the roles of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Deena in Shelter: A New Musical, and the Mother in Ragtime.
Markki Stroem as Rolf
Most known as one of the finalists on ABS-CBN's Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1, Filipino-Norwegian artist Markki Stroem was first seen onstage in 2011 as Henry in Atlantis Production's Next to Normal. He also starred as Shane Gray in Repertory Philippines' Camp Rock the Musical (2012), as Tommy Ross in Carrie: The Musical (2013), as Leading Man in Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady (2015), as Tommy de Vito in Jersey Boys (2016), and as Joe Pitt in Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (2019). He was last seen in the August 2022 rerun of Mula sa Buwan, which was directed and co-written by Pat Valera.
Joshua La Force as Maximillian Detweiller
Joshua La Force is originally from California's Wine Country. As a professional theater actor, he has performed as Cantadino in I Pagliacci, Dr. Caijus in Falstaff, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, and more.Â
Lauren O'Brien as Liesl
Lauren Anne O'Brien is reprising her role as Liesl in the international tour of The Sound of Music after a national tour in the United States. She majored in musical theater at the State University of New York at Fredonia. Her regional productions include South Pacific (Sue Yaeger), The Murder Room (Susan), Miss Julie (Julie), and Dames at Sea (Ruby).
Karylle Tatlonghari as Elsa Baroness von Schraeder
Karylle Tatlonghari, who's also known on Philippine television as just Karylle, made her debut in the local entertainment industry in the 2000s. She released her first album Time to Shine in 2001 with the dance single "Can't Live Without You," became a co-host and performer at the Sunday noontime variety show SOP in the same year, and made a cameo appearance in Ang Agimat in 2002. Her theater career began much earlier with her first onstage acting in 2000 as part of Trumpets' production of Little Mermaid. Karylle went on to play Maria in Stages' production of West Side Story, where she received an Aliw Award nomination for Best Actress. She was last seen in the Repertory Philippines production of Carousel (2022), which was directed by Toff De Venecia. Karylle is the daughter of Filipina singer Zsa Zsa Padilla.
Playing the Von Trapp kids are Audrey Simone Winters as Louisa, Olivia O'Sullivan as Marta, Daniel Karash as Friedrich, Desmond Elyseev as Kurt, Olive Ross-Kline as Gretl, and Lydia de Jesus as Brigitta.
Understudies, ensemble, and swings are: Gail Bennett, Alli Atkenson, Ethan Pugh, Patrick Cogan, Julie Anne Cohen, Sydney Demaria, Maddie Eaton, Thanos Skouteris, Corey Greenan, Dayne Joyner, Cassi Mikat, Marissa O'Donnell, Amanda Hootman, Sabina Petra, Robert Rice, Julia Salatti, Cassidy Sledge, Sean Thompson, and Xander Nicholson.
The Sound of Music runs from March 7 to 26 at Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Hippodrimo Street, Circuit Makati, Makati City. Tickets are available through Ticketworld.
