There’s no way to stop the talent and beauty of Riverside Center’s The Sound of Music, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s final collaboration and a perennial favorite for audiences of all ages.
One would likely be a recent extraterrestrial visitor to Earth not to be aware of this musical about Maria Rainer, a postulate nun turned governess, and her momentous encounter with the widowed Captain von Trapp and his large family, all facing the onslaught of the Nazi takeover of their beloved Austria.
This venerable and wildly popular family musical is rarely away from the stage for long and was certainly made into a megahit by the 1965 film. As a matter of fact, the Stafford, Virginia–based, professional dinner theater located just south of DC down I-95 is acknowledging the motion picture version’s 60th anniversary with this winning reprise of the show.
Take this next statement to the bank: Riverside Center’s production is the best I have seen of this musical since I have been attending theater, which is 40-plus years. From local community theater to professional tours and some very well-done high school productions, this Sound of Music is gorgeous to behold.
Beginning with the refreshing direction by producing artistic director Patrick A’Hearn, The Sound of Music looks newly minted, with a painterly design that stays intimate even with a stage that evokes an operatic scale. His scenic design collaborator, Christian Fleming, gives plenty of room for the action while providing simple stage pictures that enhance the flow of the show. The lighting design, by Weston Corey, evokes impressionistic paintings and perfectly complements the scenic design.
A’Hearn has steadily brought increased aesthetic value to the dinner theater and conference center’s productions, and this time he has outdone himself.
Along with the eye-catching design work, the performances are top notch — from the eight nuns who fill the theater with angelic harmonies to the seven charming von Trapp children, the ensemble, and, last but not least, the principal performers, there is not a weak link.
A’Hearn’s direction also highlights the humanity and pathos from the characters while keeping them grounded and free from the saccharine qualities that can plague this title and rankle the more cynical theatergoer.
Sarah Mae Andersen is a delightfully engaging Maria, from her simple and lyrical rendition of the title song to her playful musical moments with the von Trapp children, and the growing romance with the stalwart Captain.
Likewise real and straightforward is Tim Rogan as Georg von Trapp, the captain. As stiff and officious as he is at first, his melting heart when his children bring music back to their mansion (thanks to Maria) is a testament to his ease onstage and his palpable chemistry with Andersen.
And the children! One audience member was heard to say, “Those are the best group of kids I’ve seen onstage in years.” This reviewer concurred. Ella Schnoor (Liesl, the oldest), Aiden Maldonado (Friedrich, oldest boy, 14), Isla Phillips (Louisa, 13), Grayson Lewis (Kurt, 11), Vera Barfield (Brigitta, 10), Catherine Mayers (Marta, 7), and Ellie Waddell (Greta, 5) are each distinct, composed, and win the day with their stage presence and even solid comedic timing. No matter what choreographer Stephanie Wood threw at these game performers — as in the musical numbers “Do-Re-Mi” and “The Lonely Goatherd” with their ringleader Maria — they made it look easy as strudel.
Schnoor also shines as the innocent but eagerly love-struck Liesl when she shares her duet with the delivery boy Rolf during one of the standout songs, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” where the duo handles additional choreography by Wood with grace.
Possessing a magnificent voice and peaceful demeanor, the Mother Abbess of Kelly Glyptis provides matronly energy and a vocal power that is impressive. Her version of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” is worth the ticket price alone.
And those other nuns? Sisters Berthe (Andrea Kahane), Margaretta (Rebecca Drury), and Sophia (Abigail Weinel) join Glyptis in the delightful “Maria.” Stephanie Wood, Emma Potts, Elizabeth C. Butler, and Aileen Mitchener round out the nuns’ ensemble; together they sound like a cathedral choir, thanks in part to the superb sound design and balancing by Cheyenne Tenda.
Other cast members include the sophisticated Baroness Elsa Schraeder, played by Kiley Ernest, and the endearingly pompous Max, played by Jordan B. Stocksdale. Elsa, a would-be suitor for Georg, and Max, a gadabout and artistic hustler, provide a bit of comic relief.
All the actors are well supported by Carson Eubanks and the small but mighty pit orchestra that brings the sumptuous Rodgers score — with new orchestrations by David Landrum and Zephaniah Washington — to life with precision and style.
I haven’t mentioned the dinner option, which is also (to quote a different musical) “wunderbar.” Several appetizers are available, along with four entree selections, dessert choices, and a full bar and spirits menu. The bratwurst entree and the chicken-based schnitzel were devoured at my table, as was the Black Forest Cake dessert. A non-meal ticket option is available, but why not get the full experience?
Let’s recap: this is a rave review. Yes, about The Sound of Music. Take the whole family, relive the beauty, the romance, and the glorious music.
Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes with a 20-minute intermission.
The Sound of Music plays through October 26, 2025, at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, 95 Riverside Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA. Tickets ($65–$82) are available online or through the box office 540-370-4300, open from 10 am to 6 pm, Mon.-Wed.; 10 am to 7:30 pm, Thu.-Fri; 12 pm to 7:30 pm, Sat.; 12 pm to 3 pm, Sun. Discounted senior & group rates are available (for details, click here.)
Evening performances start at 7:30pm with dinner service beginning at 5:30pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Matinee performances start at 1:30pm with meal service beginning at 11:30am on Wednesday and 3:00pm on Sunday with dinner service beginning at 1:00pm.
Adult Dinner & Show – $82 (plus applicable taxes)
Seniors (65+) Dinner & Show – $77 (plus applicable taxes)
Children (3-17) Dinner & Show – $70 (plus applicable taxes)
Adult Show Only – $65
Seniors (65+) Show Only – $60
Children (3-17) Show Only – $55
There will be a $5.00 online processing fee added per ticket.
Cast, creative, and crew credits are in the online program here. The menu is here.
The Sound of Music
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
New Orchestration by David Landrum and Zephaniah Washington
Suggested by The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp