Charleston Stage, now celebrating its 48th Season, is South Carolina’s largest professional theatre company in residence at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Charleston Stage’s acclaimed full-scale productions light up the stage with stunning scenery, dazzling costumes, and brilliant lights! Productions feature a Professional Resident Acting Company and over 100 professional actors, singers, designers and theatre artists. All performances take place at the Historic Dock Street Theatre, “America’s First Theatre,” in the heart of downtown Charleston.
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
Suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp THE SOUND OF MUSIC is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. www.concordtheatricals.com
Direction by Marybeth Clark
Music Direction by Michael Lopez
Choreography by Arrione Magee
BRIEF SYNOPSIS:
The Sound of Music, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is a beloved classic based on the true story of the von Trapp family singers. Set in Austria just before World War II, the musical follows Maria, a young postulant who becomes a governess to seven children and brings joy, music, and love back into their lives—while the shadow of Nazi occupation begins to loom.
RUN TIME:
Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission.
THEMES:
Family and belonging
Courage and moral conviction
The power of music
Love and personal transformation
Resistance to oppression
EDUCATIONAL TIE-INS:
This production is a great opportunity to spark discussions about:
Social-emotional learning: Navigating friendships, resilience, and empathy
Literature connections: Compare the musical to the book series (ELA Standards)
Creative expression: Explore the transformation from book to stage (Theatre & Media Arts Standards)
Identity & self-expression: How we present ourselves and deal with embarrassment or failure
BACKGROUND INFO
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Rodgers (Composer)
odgers (1902–1979) was one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. Over his six-decade career, he wrote e than 900 songs and 40 Broadway musicals. He first gained fame orking with lyricist Lorenz Hart, and later formed an iconic partnership with Oscar Hammerstein II. Together, Rodgers & Hammerstein ormed American musical theatre with shows like Oklahoma!, , South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music ers was the first person to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award (EGOT), as well as a Pulitzer Prize.
merstein II (Lyricist)
Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) was a legendary American lyricist . Known for his rich, emotionally resonant lyrics, ein collaborated with composers like Jerome Kern (Show er, Richard Rodgers, with whom he redefined the American . Their work integrated song and story more deeply than ever . Hammerstein was also a mentor to Stephen Sondheim and a e advocate for social justice, often addressing issues like acism and inequality through his work. The Sound of Music was his final e his death in 1960.
dsay & Russel Crouse (Book Writers)
d Lindsay (1889–1968) and Russel Crouse (1893–1966) were a celebrated American writing duo best known for crafting the books of hit Broadway shows. Before The Sound of Music, they won the Pulitzer Prize for State of the Union and were praised for their work on Anything Goes (revised book) and Call Me Madam. The pair brought a sense of structure, warmth, and wit to The Sound of Music, shaping Maria and the von Trapps’ story for the stage. They based the show on Maria von Trapp’s memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers and helped balance its political backdrop with heartfelt family drama
SENSITIVE CONTENT TO NOTE
Political Context
The rise of the Nazi regime is a key element in the second act.
Symbols of Hate
Swastikas are shown to depict Nazi occupation; characters resist them.
Mild Violence/Threats
A character is threatened with arrest; some tension regarding Nazi takeover.
Romantic Elements
Includes courtship, a chaste kiss, and implied romantic affection.
Parental Loss
The von Trapp children have lost their mother (not depicted on stage).
Note: All content is presented in a respectful, age-appropriate manner consistent with the tone of a family musical
Discussion Questions
Why does Captain von Trapp initially refuse to sing or talk about music?
How does Maria change the lives of the von Trapp family?
What does the show teach us about standing up for what is right even when it’s hard?
How do the characters express resistance through art and personal choices?
WHY IT MATTERS
The Sound of Music continues to resonate because of its message of hope, the power of love and music, and its call to stand up against tyranny. It invites audiences of all ages to reflect on what it means to do the right thing, even when the world is uncertain.
AT-HOME ACTIVITIES
1. Do-Re-Mi Singing Challenge
Teach the solfège scale just like Maria does in the show. Have each family member create a short verse using “Do-Re-Mi” in a silly or personal way. Optional: Record a family version of the song!
2. Family Puppet Show or Role Play
Recreate a favorite scene (like the marionette “Goatherd” number or the thunderstorm song) using toys, puppets, or dress-up clothes. Ask your child to play Maria or a von Trapp child and act out “My Favorite Things” or “So Long, Farewell.”
3. Courage Collage
Create a collage (digital or paper) showing what courage looks like include real people, characters from the musical, or personal heroes. Use this as a way to talk about making brave choices in everyday life.
4. Austria Exploration
Find Austria on a map and explore the country’s landmarks, especially Salzburg (where the real von Trapps lived).
Try a simple Austrian recipe together, like apple strudel or schnitzel.
5. Make a Curtain Outfit (Craft!)
Inspired by Maria’s curtain-play clothes, use scrap fabric or old clothing to create a simple accessory (headband, cape, doll clothes). Talk about how Maria used creativity and resourcefulness.
6. Create a Family Songbook
Collect your family’s favorite songs (including ones from The Sound of Music). Design a cover and sing through them together regularly maybe even start a weekly “Family Sing-Along Night.”
7. Kindness Countdown: My Favorite Things
Make a list of each family member’s "favorite things." Choose one per day to share or give (e.g., "I love warm cookies" = bake and share with a neighbor).
THEATRE EDUCATION
Acting Classes
200+ Students Attend Acting Classes After School
Charleston Stage’s TheatreSchool offers classes year-round, for students from kindergarten through 8th grade at Charleston Stage’s West Ashley Theatre Center. Acting classes for students of all ages and abilities are taught by members of Charleston Stage’s Professional Resident Acting Company. Classes range from beginning classes to performance workshops and troupes. We now offer a full-year registration. Tuition scholarships are available for need-based students. Register online today at CharlestonStage.com/education.
ArtReach In-School Workshops
Bringing Professional Actors Into the Classroom
Charleston Stage’s Professional Resident Actors provide dynamic workshops in area schools throughout the Lowcountry. Workshops use theatrical skills to teach academic subjects and can be combined with a school matinee performance experience. For information on booking ArtReach workshops, contact Rylee Coppel, Director of Education and Engagement, at rcoppel@charlestonstage.com or (843) 225-3900.
TheatreWings High School Apprenticeships
A Tuition-Free Apprentice Program For Teens
The TheatreWings High School Apprentice Program is designed to allow talented young people the opportunity to work directly with theatre professionals and gain first-hand experience in professional theatrical production. Students explore stage management, lighting and sound, as well as set, prop, and costume design and construction. Designed for highly dedicated students, TheatreWings requires more than 100+ hours of apprenticeship each season. For more information, email TheatreWings Co-Coordinators Ravyn Meador or Caleb Garner at wings@charlestonstage.com.
For more information on our Education programs, call the Education Office at (843) 225-3900 or visit CharlestonStage.com/education.
For almost 300 years audiences have delighted in performances at the Historic Dock Street Theatre which stands on the site of the very first theatre building in America which opened its doors in 1736 The current building, originally The Planter’s Hotel was built in 1803 and in 1937 was converted into the Dock Street Theatre know today. Charleston Stage presents over 150 performances at the Historic Dock Street Theatre playing to theatre goers from every state in the union and many foreign countries. The Dock Street Theatre, newly renovated in 2010, is currently owned and managed by the City of Charleston. Other performing arts groups including Spoleto Festival USA perform here annually.
On February 12, 1736 the Dock Street Theatre opened with a performance of The Recruiting Officer. Built on the corner of Church Street and Dock Street (now known as Queen Street), the Historic Dock Street Theatre was the first building in America built exclusively to be used for theatrical performances. Flora, the first opera performance in America, took place at the Historic Dock Street Theatre.
The original Dock Street Theatre was probably destroyed by the Great Fire of 1740 which destroyed many of the buildings in Charleston’s French Quarter. In 1809, the Planter’s Hotel was built on this site and in 1835 the wrought iron balcony and sandstone columns of the Church Street facade were added. A number of notable persons worked and patronized the Planter’s Hotel including the noted 19th Century actor Junius Brutus Booth (father of Edwin and John Wilkes Booth). Robert Smalls, an African-American Civil War hero, who stole a steamboat in the harbor and sailed it out past the Confederate-held Ft. Sumter and turned it over to the blockading Union Fleet, served as a waiter in the hotel’s dining room prior to the war. Charleston’s famed Planter’s Punch was first introduced here.
After the Civil War, the Planter’s Hotel fell into disrepair and was slated for demolition. But in 1935, after Milton Pearlstine made the property available to the City of Charleston and at the urging of Mayor Burnet Maybank and other notable citizens, the original building became a Depression Era WPA (Works Progress Administration) project. At that time, the present theatre was constructed within the shell of the Planter’s Hotel. The hotel’s grand
foyer became the grand foyer of the theatre and the hotel’s dining room now serves as the box office lobby. The beautiful woodwork and mantels of the second-floor drawing room were salvaged from the Radcliffe-King Mansion (circa 1799) which stood at the corner of George and Meeting Streets and was razed to build the College of Charleston gymnasium, another WPA project. Modeled on eighteenth century London playhouses by Charleston architect Albert Simons, the present Dock Street Theatre’s new stage house and auditorium were built in the hotel’s courtyard. The local carpenters who were put to work as a part of this Depression era relief effort utilized locally grown and milled native black cypress for the beautiful warm wooden interior. Following this $350,000 renovation,
The Historic Dock Street Theatre’s second grand opening took place on November 26, 1937. Notables in the audience included author DuBose Heyward (Porgy) who was named writerin-residence.
The Historic Dock Street Theatre reopened for the third time on March 18, 2010 after a three-year, $19 million dollar renovation by the City of Charleston. This extensive full-scale renovation brought the historic theatre into the 21st century with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, modern heating and air conditioning, and new restrooms and seating. In addition, the theatre was made seismically secure and fully handicapped accessible. Extensive soundproofing was added to ensure that outside noises no longer intruded on performances inside
