The Sound of Music
City Springs Theatre Company Byers Theatre Sandy Springs, GA
Lighting design for the 2021 production of The Sound of Music at City Springs Theatre Company, directed by Shuler Hensley.
About the Lighting Design
The Sound of Music had a beautiful set. Adam Koch’s design gave the show real, literal locations to play in: the abbey, the von Trapp villa, the mountains, the garden, the festival stage. When the scenic communicates location that clearly, lighting can focus on what the set can’t do.
The set sets the physical location. It’s up to us to set the rest: time of day, season, mood, emotion. Where we are in the world was Adam’s department. What time of day it was, what the weather was doing, what the emotional temperature of the scene felt like, that was lighting’s job.
The base was grounded naturalism. Even in the songs, the show preferred warmth over flash. When characters sang, the design tipped into heightened reality (saturated color, dynamic shifts) but never broke from the world the set had built.
This was during my dual run as Resident Lighting Designer and Director of Production at City Springs.
- Music
- Richard Rodgers
- Lyrics
- Oscar Hammerstein II
- Suggested by 'The Trapp Family Singers' by
- Maria Augusta Trapp
- Director
- Shuler Hensley
- Associate Director / Choreographer
- Cindy Mora Reiser
- Choreographer
- Cindy Mora Reiser
- Music Director
- Miles Plant
- Scenic Designer
- Adam Koch
- Costume Designer
- Debbie Roberts
- Wig Designer
- Premiere Postiche
- Lighting Designer
- Mike Wood
- Sound Designer
- Keith Bergeron
- Associate Lighting Designer
- Dalton HamiltonAbby May
- Programmer
- Dalton Hamilton
- Production Electrician
- Olivia Doniphan
- Lighting Shop
- 4Wall (Rep: Tyler Bevel )
- Company Manager
- Jalise Wilson
- Production Stage Manager
- Randy Lawson
About the Show
The story is set in Salzburg, Austria, 1938, on the eve of the Anschluss. Maria, one of the postulants at Nonnberg Abbey, is sent to serve as temporary governess to the seven children of a former naval officer, Captain Georg von Trapp. Maria discovers that the Captain has, since the death of his wife, closed himself off emotionally. Realizing the children have grown up without music in their lives, Maria teaches the children the basics of singing. As they dance, the Captain and Maria recognize their unspoken attraction. The Captain is ordered to accept a commission in the German Navy, but he opposes the Nazis. He and Maria decide on a plan to flee Austria with the children.
Source: MTI
Cast
Ellie Fishman as Maria RainerMike McGowan as Captain Georg von TrappSumayya Ali as Mother AbbessJohn Scherer as Max DetweilerKristine Reese as Elsa SchraederCallie Reagan Walker as Liesl von TrappZach Landes as Rolf GruberGrant Martin as Friedrich von TrappAva Grace Roberts as Louisa von TrappCarson Shelton as Kurt von TrappJulia Straley as Brigitta von TrappKayla Furie as Marta von TrappHarper Allegra as Gretl von TrappAmaya Raidbard as Gretl von TrappCleve BosherKaren HowellJanine AynReverie BergerChrista DeanaSteve HudsonTrevor MartinAmy CoelhoJoAnna JohnsonYingLing ZhuNicholas AnthonyTaylor-Kate BishopCorey BryantJames Arthur DouglasJaymyria EtienneDaniel Fobes as ensemble