THE curtain is set to rise on a production of a much loved and iconic musical at Chester Storyhouse, following a last minute casting change.
Tip Top Productions, a community theatre company, will bring the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music to the city centre venue from this evening (Wednesday, August 2). The show will be directed for Tip Top by Peter Swingler OBE with musical direction by Wendy Tucker and choreography by Joni Rusling.
Featuring a whole host of cherished songs, including 'Climb Ev’ry Mountain', 'My Favourite Things', 'Do-Re-Mi', 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' and the title number, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars.
The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision.
Joining the cast as Captain Von Trapp is Shropshire based actor Mike Jenkinson-Deakin who replaces actor Chris Sim who was sadly forced to pull out of the production on health grounds.
Speaking about Mike joining the show, Director Peter Swingler said: "We have achieved a coup! One of the best actors and accomplished singers in the north west, Mike Jenkinson-Deakin agreed to step in with just three weeks to curtain up.
"I have been fortunate enough to work alongside Mike many times, the last production was Priscilla Queen of the Desert when he delivered the performance of a lifetime.
"Audiences will be enchanted by the two teams of youngsters playing the Von Trapp children and we delighted to have the wonderfully talented Josephine McSollars leading our cast as Maria."
The Sound of Music follows on from Tip Top's staging of Calendar Girls The Musical at Storyhouse last year and their sell out production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Theatr Clwyd in February this year.
Performance will be running from Wednesday, August 2 until Saturday, August 5 at 7.30pm with matinee performances at 2.30pm on Friday, August 4 and Saturday, August 5.
Full details for Tip Top's production of The Sound of Music can be found at www.storyhouse.com.
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