Sunday night, I took my three daughters to see The Sound of Music at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. I am still beaming from this incredible experience and I want to tell you all about it! I’ll start with the cast and then get into details about how it is for kids, venue details, and more.
The Cast
Firstly, the cast. Oh my gosh, the cast. Emily Kouatchou (who is known for playing Christine in Phantom of the Opera) lit up the stage. As a child who grew up enamored with Julie Andrews, Christine is everything you hope Maria will be and more. Her voice is incredible and the whole audience fell in love with her.
Allison Blackwell played Mother Abbess and people in the audience lost their minds when she sang “Climb Every Mountain.” I have chills thinking about it.
Robert Lenzi’s captured Captain Von Trapp’s transition from aloof and rigid ruler to caring father perfectly. Plus, his rendition of Edelweiss was so moving. Did my 6 year-old daughter try to sing along at the top of her lungs? Yup.
The Von Trapp children were an absolute DELIGHT. Every single one of them was incredible and, as a mom to three kids, I found myself wondering HOW THEY EVEN DO IT? Memorizing the lines? The late bedtimes? The choreography? They were on stage for a lot of the show which added a lot of fun for my kiddos. It was so fun watching them plus they had great chemistry with Maria and each other. Liesl shines and was so fun for my girls to watch.
The notable difference between the movie and the show are the increased roles of Frau Schraeder and Herr Detweiler. Both actors were magnificent and provided a perfect contrast to the brave women of the abbey and the Von Trapps.
Is it for Kids?
I took my 6, 8 and 10 year-olds with me to a 5pm show. Every single one of them LOVED it. But let me give a few tips and caveats.
- The show is about 2hr 40 minutes by my timing. The first act is longer than the second.
- I would recommend a matinee or 5pm show if you’re bringing children. The matinees are Wednesdays, Saturdays or Sundays. Sunday has a 5pm performance.
- The theater is dark and it’s not easy to leave your seat during the performance (nor should you leave your seat if you can help it). I’d recommend an aisle if you’re worried about squirmy children.
- My 6 year-old loves music, dancing, and theatrics of any kind. She started to squirm with about 10 minutes left in the show. I would imagine most 6 year-olds would have a hard time sitting through this entire show. 8 and up is probably ideal, unless your child already has a baseline interest.
- There is no cursing or inappropriate sexual or violent content. Anything regarding the violence of the Nazis goes unsaid or implied.
- There are Nazis and their symbols. It’s hard to see, to be frank, especially given our current climate.
- There is candy, popcorn, snacks, and drinks for sale. There are 2 concession stands, on the first and second floors. The waits were manageable.
- There is one large bathroom on the first floor. The line moves quickly.
- We found street parking because it was Sunday afternoon. I would recommend parking in one of the garages if your coming Friday or Saturday night.
- The tickets may feel like a splurge to you. Let me be clear: you get what you pay for. These are professionals of the highest caliber – the ticket prices reflect that. The show also employs so many people!
If you can, go see The Sound of Music at The Music Hall in Portsmouth this season.
Playing until December 17th, this is a must-see this holiday season. This beautiful story of love and courage endures. I’m delighted my children experienced the power of theater in our gorgeous and historic Music Hall. It was an experience I won’t ever forget – and one I don’t think they will either.
To the Von Trapps and the women of the Abbey, thank you for reminding us what courage looks like. Thank you for the ever-true message that music is powerful beyond our comprehension. And thank you to The Music Hall and the Ogunquit Playhouse for bringing this amazing production into our great city. Just like Elf the Musical last year, you hit it out of the park.
Get your tickets today!
We are giving away 4 tickets to each of the following shows to be announced on our Instagram.
Use code MARIA25 for 25% off the performances for the above dates. Matinees too!
