Summer Place Theatre's "Sound of Music" Emphasizes Political Message

The hills will be alive again in Naperville this summer — and back at The Summer Place Theatre’s traditional home on the stage at Naperville Central High School.

After going through 2020 without a show and performing last year’s musical outdoors, the Summer Place Theatre will present “The Sound of Music” July 15-31 on the high school stage.

Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. July 15-16, July 22-23, July 29-30; 3 p.m. July 17, 24 and 31.

“That’s the plan, at least as of now,” said Don Gingold, president of The Summer Place, the nonprofit that has been producing theater in Naperville since 1966. “We’ve all learned to be flexible. But we expect to be back inside on our usual stage, and we’re so thankful to be able to do so.”

“The Sound of Music,” the classic musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein that debuted on Broadway in 1959, is familiar to most people today largely because of the 1965 film with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

The story of a governess who falls in love with an Austrian captain and his seven children amid the tumult preceding World War II is remembered as a family-friendly show with incredibly memorable songs.

But Gingold planned to stage the show in 2020 to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II to remind people of the serious story that’s not often remembered as well as the catchy tunes.

“It’s easy to forget that the story itself is so well told,” he said. “It’s an important story about resisting the mob mentality and staying true to your principles.

“It may not coincide with the anniversary anymore, but I think it’s a story that’s important to tell now,” he said. “We all have to realize that you have to do some critical thinking when it comes to our leaders.”

He also noted that the stage show has some significant changes from the film, and people are often surprised that a show that they thought they knew so well can still elicit strong emotions.

“There are two songs that aren’t in the movie, and they’re excellent,” he said. “They help better explain the politics of the time, and you get a better understanding of the situation that they found themselves in.

“Of course, it’s still ‘The Sound of Music,’ you still get the cute kids and the music that everyone knows,” he said. “But there’s a deeper element to the story that I think really comes through on the stage.”

The show will star Katherine Damisch as Maria and Matt Whalen as Captain Von Trapp, the widowed naval officer who runs his home like a battleship, going as far as summoning his large family by a whistle.

Maria arrives as the latest in a string of governesses tasked with getting the children under control. The show introduced the world to such memorable songs as “Climb Every Mountain,” “Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “The Lonely Goatherd” and “Edelweiss.”

“One of the great things about the show is that kids love it. The music is just gorgeous and catchy,” Gingold said. “And then there’s this deeper meaning that you may not understand until you’re an adult, and then it becomes a different show for you.”

The cast includes more than 30 people, including members of the Naperville Chorus starring as sisters in the abbey.

“We are so excited to be working with them,” Gingold said. “They’ll be singing as part of this chorus of nuns, and it sounds spectacular. It raises the scenes in the abbey to a new height. They are also backing up our Mother Abbess (Sadie Wynne), who has just a beautiful voice for ‘Climb Every Mountain.’ It’s going to be just a phenomenal performance.”

Whether this is your first time seeing “The Sound of Music” or your 30th, Gingold said you’re in for a treat to see the story told live on stage.

“Even if you watch it on TV every year, this is a story that’s different when seen live,” he said. “There’s a reason it’s still such a popular show after more than 60 years.”

Summer Place Theatre presents ‘The Sound of Music’

When: July 15-31

Where: Naperville Central High School Auditorium, 440 W. Aurora Ave., Naperville

Tickets: $20 for adults; $15 for kids under 18, seniors over 65

Information: 630-355-7969; summerplacetheatre.org