Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical The Sound of Music, featuring reality show winner Connie Fisher as Maria, will begin previews at the London Palladium on November 3. The production, to be directed by Jeremy Sams, will open officially on November 15.
In addition to Fisher, who got the role by winning BBC 1’s reality show, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, the show will star Lesley Garrett as Mother Abbess, Simon Shepherd as Captain Von Trapp, Lauren Ward as The Baroness, Ian Gelder as Max, Sophie Bould as Liesel, and Neil McDermott as Rolf. At certain performances, Margaret Preece will play Mother Abbess.
The cast also includes Christopher Blades, Anthony Cable, Ian Caddick, Vivien Care, Tanya Caridia, Christopher Connah, Kate Coysten, Deborah Crowe, Christopher Dickens, Katie Fabel, Susie Fenwick, John Griffiths, Amanda Hall, Paul Kemble, Emma Lindars, Ian Male, Claire Massie, Nicholas Maude, Gavin Mitford, Jo Napthine, Verity Quade, Katie Ray, Simon Schofield, Nicola Sloane, Alan Vicary, Helen Walsh, Elen Mon Wayne, Jane Webster, Kerry Winter, and Vanessa Woodfine.
The show’s creative team includes Arlene Phillips (choreography), Robert Jones (set and costume designs), Mick Potter (sound), Mark Henderson (lighting), and Simon Lee (music supervision). In addition to his many London credits, Sams directed the Broadway revival of Noises Off, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and received a Tony Award nomination for the adaptation of Amour.
The Sound of Music originally premiered on Broadway in 1959, when it won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical,” and has been revived numerous times. It first opened in London in 1961 and was last revived there in 1981. The 1965 Hollywood film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
For tickets and information, visit www.soundofmusiclondon.com.