By Kelsie Teves
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Taking the spotlight, the Central Theater Arts Academy (CTAA) spring musical, “The Sound of Music”, brought a set of emotions with the funny, yet historically symbolic depth it holds on April 19, 26, 27 and 28.
“I think beyond all of the silly little songs and dances and everything, you have a really powerful historical story. And I think that a lot of people don’t realize “The Sound of Music” has that underlying depth to it,” expressed Senior Daniel Bayot, who played Captain Georg Von Trapp.
Set in 1930s Austria, “The Sound of Music” depicts a young woman named Maria who is failing to live up to the standards of being a nun. When Navy captain Georg Von Trapp writes to the convent in need of a governess to watch over his seven mischievous children, Maria is given the job. When Maria arrives, she is initially met with hostility, but her kindness, understanding and sense of fun soon draws the Von Trapp to her and brings some much-needed joy into all of their lives.
“I loved (“The Sound of Music”). I thought it represented the movie a lot. And they are really talented. It was overall really good,” expressed audience member Freshman Ashley Regaspi,
Though the musical held comical and witty attributes, with the serious side of the story, one of the biggest challenges was for the actors to relate and really get into character. “The character was a different kind of role for me. I’m usually kind of an outgoing person, so it is kind of hard to draw back and be more earthy,” stated Senior Kameryn Behrend, who portrayed Maria.
In order to overcome this obstacle, the cast found ways to better become their roles by watching YouTube videos and “The Sound of Music” movie, as well as studying historical information about the Nazis and the feelings of the Austrians toward them. “It’s really about character analysis. You really have to put yourself in their shoes and always feel what they’re feeling,” explained Behrend.
Because CTAA is such a big commitment, the cast had to be disciplined to work hard during and outside of rehearsal to fulfill their part for a great final product. “Because (theatre) is so collaborative, the whole idea of discipline and working together is a really important thing. Sometimes discipline gets lost these days and that’s really what I try to instill,” said Fine Arts teacher and CTAA Coordinator Jaime Stroud.
The cast will be performing their last two shows on May 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the MHS cafeteria. Ticket prices for students are $5 and $12 for adults.
