HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC, In partnership with INFINITI
Concord Theatricals and Network Presentations
— presents —
“The Sound of Music”
Oct. 14 – 18, 2026
TPAC’s Jackson Hall
MUSIC by Richard Rodgers
LYRICS by Oscar Hammerstein II
BOOK by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
DIRECTED by Jack O’Brien
CHOREOGRAPHY by Danny Mefford
MUSIC SUPERVISION by Andy Einhorn
SCENIC DESIGN by Douglas W. Schmidt
LIGHTING DESIGN by Natasha Katz
If you think you know The Sound of Music because you’ve watched ABC’s annual holiday broadcast of the movie, think again. I approached this North American tour expecting a little of the same old, same old. Instead, I found a heartwarming production that breathes fresh life into a beloved classic, uncovering nuances that make it feel less like a familiar trip down memory lane and more like a musical worth rediscovering.
Under the skilled direction of Jack O’Brien, this beautifully realized production understands that sometimes the smallest choices make the biggest difference — and that a familiar song can reveal something entirely new.
Consider the Mother Abbess (Lisa Howard), whose formidable presence softens into something delightfully girlfriendy when she joins Maria (a remarkable Cayleigh Capaldi) for “My Favorite Things.” But Howard’s most astonishing moment comes with “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” Rather than simply unleashing the soaring vocals audiences expect from this showstopper, she makes the song a deeply personal lesson, helping Maria understand what she must do: stop running from the life she’s meant to live and find the courage to embrace it. Howard doesn’t just sing the words; she teaches Maria how to hear them. It’s a remarkable piece of acting wrapped inside a glorious vocal performance, giving this familiar song fresh emotional power.
Or consider the supporting role of Frau Schmidt (Laura Struck), the von Trapps’ no-nonsense housekeeper, who gets a laugh with her growled insistence that “There WILL be new curtains!” The message is clear: When the Captain says new curtains, new curtains it is. Another clarifying moment comes from 10-year-old truth-teller Brigitta (Stormie Piper Treviño), who bluntly tells Maria that the Captain is in love with her, setting up the entirety of the second half drama.
These are the kind of finely observed touches that make a familiar story sparkle again. O’Brien unveils them throughout the show, bringing humor, humanity and a welcome sense of immediacy to a musical that could easily coast on nostalgia alone.
No Problem Like Maria
Capaldi is a winning spitfire of a Maria, combining physicality and sass with an irresistible warmth. Her vocals are powerful, elegant and assured. The von Trapp children (all terrific and spunky) are quickly won over by Maria’s refusal to be intimidated by their father’s rigid household rules. It’s only a matter of time before Captain von Trapp (Kevin Earley), brave and honorable but emotionally oblivious, falls under her spell, too. The casting is stellar across the board, with energetic performers bring authenticity and wit to their roles.
The production values are equally impressive, with gorgeous scenic and lighting designs that create a sense of scale and atmosphere. The towering, moody walls of Nonnberg Abbey give way to the bright elegance of the von Trapp residence in Salzburg, Austria, where an expansive upstage window frames snow-capped Alpine mountains. The settings are beautiful, but they also do important storytelling work.
When Maria returns to the abbey after fleeing the von Trapp household, she stands alone in a stark pool of light, suitcase in hand, surrounded by darkness. The image captures her uncertainty with heartbreaking clarity: She has run from one life, but what awaits her now? Later, the political stakes become impossible to ignore. As Austria falls under Nazi control, enormous red drapes bearing giant swastikas descend drop for the Salzburg Festival backdrop. The visual is chilling, a reminder that the world beyond this family’s private dramas is growing more dangerous by the minute.
And that is where this production reveals the deeper power of The Sound of Music. Yes, it is a story of a spirited postulant and a widowed captain who find love in an unexpected time and place. But it is also a story about conscience, courage and the price of surrendering freedom. As the threat of fascism closes in, the von Trapps’ decision to resist becomes more than a dramatic finale. It gives the musical its moral center.
It’s a pleasure to see a touring production in which every element — from the performances to the commanding design — feels so artfully considered. Nothing appears to have been left to chance, and the result is a show that honors the original while finding something meaningful and fresh within it.
If there’s any complaint at all, it’s that the evening seems to end almost too quickly. You can practically imagine the stage manager checking a stopwatch as the curtain approaches. But when a production this engaging leaves you wishing for more, that’s a trifle of an issue to note!
MORE PHOTOS
Cayleigh Capaldi brings sass and charm plus powerful vocals to Maria in “The Sound of Music.” PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL.
Lisa Howard (Mother Abbess) and Cayleigh Capaldi (Maria) sing “My Favorite Things” in “The Sound of Music” now at TPAC. PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL.
The von Trapp children and the Captain (Kevin Earley) in “The Sound of Music” at TPAC. PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL.
Liesl (Ariana Ferch) and Rolf Gruber (Dylan Bradford) sing, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” in “The Sound of Music” national tour. PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL.
The von Trapps perform at the Salzburg Festival in “The Sound of Music” now at TPAC. PHOTO BY JEREMY DANIEL.
