“THE SOUND OF MUSIC”: Performances are underway for “The Sound of Music.” Presented by Kelsey Theatre and The Yardley Players; and directed by Kristy Davis, the musical runs through July 7 at Kelsey Theatre. Above: Watched suspiciously by the (offstage) Nazis, the Von Trapp Family Singers give a performance on which their lives literally depend. From left are Aurora Quinn (Louisa), Emma Poppell (Brigitta), Gabi Oliano (Gretl), David Nikolas (Captain Von Trapp), Laney Kenwood (Liesl), Lauren Wolensky (Maria), Scarlet Hillman (Marta), Trevin Davis (Kurt), and Joseph Wilson (Friedrich). (Photo by John M. Maurer)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

Yardley Players Theatre Company is presenting The Sound of Music at Kelsey Theatre. Kristy Davis directs and choreographs an appealing production that honors the 1965 film adaptation, while accentuating the benefits that a live production can offer the story.

The Sound of Music marks the final collaboration between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. The book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse is suggested by Maria Augusta Trapp’s memoir The Trapp Family Singers. The show follows Maria’s journey from novice at Nonnberg Abbey to governess for the seven children of the stern widower Captain Von Trapp; and the threat posed to the family by the Anschluss (the Nazi takeover of Austria) in 1938.

Since its 1959 Broadway premiere, the musical has inspired the (often-televised) film and two television specials. Surprisingly it has only been revived on Broadway once (in 1998), though there are periodic tours, and every year the show can be seen via numerous regional and stock productions.

Audiences who are only familiar with the film may be taken aback by the beginning of the show, which opens with a brief scene at Nonnberg Abbey. We hear the nuns chanting a “Preludium.” In this number, as well as the plot-driven “Maria” two scenes later, the nuns’ voices blend well.

Maria (portrayed by Lauren Wolensky) enters and ably sings the exuberant title song. In a visual nod to the film, Wolensky twirls in imitation of Julie Andrews. Later, she skips, underlining Maria’s youthful spirit. Immediately it is clear that both Kristy Davis and Wolensky know how to use movement to define character.

Back at the abbey we meet the nuns individually (as they sing “Maria” to discuss their troublesome postulant): the wise Mother Abbess (Marge Swider, who also is the production’s producer); Sister Margaretta (Jackie Sterlace); Sister Sophia (Shealyn Davis); and Sister Berthe (Annie Bryson), who wants Maria out of the abbey. (Disclosure: this writer often sings in a church choir with Bryson.)

Fans of the movie will notice that “My Favorite Things” is in a different scene. In the show the charming, brisk waltz is a duet between Maria and the Mother Abbess. It is a lovely scene that establishes a theme of the musical: mentorship. Wolensky and Swider excel at conveying the bond between the two women, executing some subtle but effective choreography by Kristy Davis.

As the widowed Captain, David Nikolas underlines the character’s fear of becoming emotionally attached again, paring it with body language that uses physical distance. Notably we see him instinctively move away from where his eventual fiancée, Baroness Elsa Shrader (Megan Gramlich) is standing, pointing toward that relationship’s eventual tensions.

All of the scenes with the children audibly charm the audience. Maria meets teenager Liesl (Laney Kenwood), Freidrich (Joseph Wilson), Louisa (Aurora Quinn), Kurt (Trevin Davis), Brigitta (Emma Poppell), Marta (Scarlet Hillman), and the youngest, Gretl (Gabi Oliano, whose singing voice enables her to deliver her solo in “So Long, Farewell” admirably).

Despite the musical’s popularity (perhaps partly due to it), historically it has been greeted with condescension by a constituency of detractors. A critic reviewing the Broadway premiere quipped that the show became “not only too sweet for words, but almost too sweet for music.” Such criticism overlooks that the sentimental scenes are organic to the story; and the show’s blitheness sometimes is deceptive, masking resistance to oppressive authority.

An example is “Do Re Mi,” which in the show comes right after Maria meets the family, and hears the Captain forbid music in the house and insist that the children march. Taking a cue from the melody, Kristy Davis has the children march, establishing a concept that is important throughout the show: music as disobedience masked as compliance.

Kenwood delivers strong vocal performances in “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and its second act reprise. As Rolf, Tristan Davis is suitably boyish, but infuses his line delivery with enough snap to drop hints of the character’s later behavior. Both Kenwood and Davis move well to the graceful, swirling choreography for their duet. In light of later events, it is appropriate that the sequence feels artificially idyllic.

During the quarrel between Maria and the Captain, Wolensky perhaps could deliver Maria’s lines with a bit more fierceness, but overall she conveys the character’s strength, particularly in the second act (in which Maria visibly is an equal partner with the Captain.)

Gramlich infuses her delivery of the worldly Elsa’s lines with the right amount of haughty gloss — enough to contrast with Wolensky’s guilelessness as Maria, but avoiding turning Elsa into an antagonist.

Tom Chiola is charming as the harmlessly opportunistic Max, and lends some strong vocals to Max and Elsa’s two trios with the Captain, “How Can Love Survive?” and “No Way to Stop It.” The urbane, witty lyrics of the former mark a conspicuous contrast to other songs in the score, sounding more typical of Lorenz Hart — Rodgers’s first collaborator — than Hammerstein.

For the first reprise of the title song, when the children serenade Elsa, a scrim separates them from the Captain. When he finally joins in, the scrim is lifted; we see a physical barrier disappear at the same time that the emotional barrier that has separated the family is removed. It is a fine example of using a production detail to illustrate the situation; in retrospect it seems to be an obvious choice, but it is astute nonetheless, and it is a moving scene.

Liz Wurtz and Barry Leonard are suitably commanding as, respectively, Frau Schmidt and Franz, the no-nonsense members of the Captain’s household staff. The high-ranking Nazis — Herr Zeller (Brian Davis) and Admiral von Schreiber (Jeffrey E. Milstein) — have comparatively little stage time, but they bring sufficient menace to give their scenes the requisite tension and suspense.

The cast is ably rounded out by Timothy Boyd and Suzanne Houston (Baron and Baroness Elberfeld); and the actors portraying the participants in the Salzburg Festival: William Augustin, Jon Stanley, Marc Suznavich, Susan Eley; and Leah Panuccio (soloist).

Audibly there are varied levels of singing experience throughout the cast members; but the blending of voices, particularly in the ensemble numbers, is consistently well-balanced and pleasing (in part a credit to Musical Director Lee Milhous and Sound Designer Tiernan Stover). It is worth hearing Rodgers’ lovely melodies (and Trude Rittman’s vocal arrangements) in a live venue.

Milhous conducts a fine orchestra that shines in the Entr’acte; despite the contemporary addition of a keyboard, the orchestrations are pleasantly evocative of the original arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett.

The family’s performance at the Salzburg Festival — particularly “Edelweiss,” in which Maria and the children poignantly join in when the Captain’s emotions cause him to falter — obviously is the epitome of the “music as disobedience disguised as compliance” theme. Costumer Anthony Wurtz may have incorporated this; the family’s (attractive) outfits for the concert contain red, black, and white.

Jeff Cantor’s economical but attractive scenery uses projections complemented by physical sets. M. Kitty Getlik’s lighting enhances events such as the thunderstorm that sends the children scurrying into Maria’s room.

Within the confines of fidelity to the story, the production sensitively keeps Nazi images and gestures to the barest possible minimum, but a large Nazi flag hangs onstage during the concert, a reminder of the danger faced by the family.

Davis uses the space effectively during the sequence in which the Nazis search for the family. She sends the cast into the aisles for this scene, as well as the stirring reprise of “Climb Every Mountain.”

Both stylistically and in terms of social consciousness, some of Hammerstein’s lyrics — particularly “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and its reprise — necessitate making allowances for the time period. Nonetheless, the reprise offers Maria and Liesl a touching moment that helps to bookend Maria’s journey; having been mentored by the Mother Abbess, she fills the same role for Liesl.

Beyond the performances and design elements, this production succeeds because the enthusiastic cast and creative team effectively convey the characters’ arcs. Some elements of the script and score are not timeless (particularly the pacing of some scenes in act two), but the characters’ journeys are, as are the themes of family, mentorship, and resisting oppression.

Beside the overall beauty of the score, it is the story and successful blending of these themes that make the show a classic. Whether or not one has (often) seen other iterations of the show, readers should take this opportunity to enjoy it live.

“The Sound of Music” will play at the Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor, through July 7. Content advisory: The musical’s story takes place during the Nazi regime. As such, certain characters exchange the Nazi salute, and the Nazi flag is displayed in the second act. However, the production resolutely avoids using such imagery any more than is necessary to accurately depict the time period. For tickets, show times, and further information call (609) 570-3333 or visit kelsey.mccc.edu/shows_current.shtml.