The Story
The musical play is based on a script written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, music by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is a story of Mary Rainer, a woman studying to become a nun, who is sent from her convent to be the governess to seven children of a widowed naval commander, Captain Georg von Trapp. The children, initially hostile and mischievous, come to like her, and the woman finds herself falling in love with the captain. The Captain was soon to be married to a baroness but marries Maria instead. Maria introduces the art of singing to the children and discovers their tremendous talent.
Whoever doesn’t know the story of The Sound of Music must have been living under a rock. The play is a timeless classic, and with every passing year, it gains thousands and thousands of fans all over the world. At first look, the story may seem to focus mainly on love and family. But on closer inspection, you’ll discover that it’s more than that. It discusses patriotism, like when Captain von Trapp declines being part of the Nazi army, putting his life and his family in danger. And it also addresses, quite subtly, the issue of homosexuality through the flamboyant character of Kurt in the movie or with the older sibling Friedrich in the Resort World Production of the play.
The Cast
Director Roxanne Lapus might have her own reasons in casting some of the characters in the play, like the one playing the part of Brigitta, Atasha Muhlach, who is the daughter of former beauty queen Charlene Gonzales and ageless heartthrob Aga Muhlach. Perhaps it was the fact that having Atasha in the play would greatly help in marketing the show. If my hypothesis is right, then she’s done a great job. Finding out that a Muhlach offspring will be one of the von Trapp kids got me really excited to see the play. Just like me I’m quite sure people in the audience were looking forward to seeing Atasha perform on stage, too. And if I may say, the young lass did a good job.
To be honest, I noticed a problem in casting Tanya Manalang as Liesl and Dana Sianghio as Louisa. Tanya is supposedly the eldest sister in the bunch, but the younger Dana was awkwardly a couple of inches taller. But it’s just a minor flaw for me which in no way affected the quality of the play.
Joanna Ampil as Maria Rainer
Joanna Ampil was the soul of the show. From the start through finish, she was amazing. It was my first time to see her perform, but I can’t imagine anyone playing the part any better. And people like her make me proud of being a Filipino. She’s truly a world-class Pinoy talent.
Audie Gimora as Captain Georg von Trapp
I had ambivalent feelings when I first heard that Audie Gimora will be playing the part of the Captain for he may appear a little more mature for Joanna. But in the original story, Georg was 45 years old, so casting Gimora was actually of reasonable cause. Of course, his performance was flawless but I think he took the very stern persona of the Captain down a certain notch.
Tanya Manalang as Liesl von Trapp
In my honest opinion, Liesl should have been taller than the one playing the part of Louisa. But what she lacked in height, she compensated with her jaw-dropping vocals. I was a bit disappointed with her dance sequence together with Rolf for I did expect the routine to be somewhat in the same level of what I saw in the movie version of the play.
Paolo Ocampo as Friedrich von Trapp
Ocampo has got a lot of potential. His movements are very theatrical, but his vocals may need some polishing. Most of the time he was singing in falsetto, which obviously he had a hard time doing. And In the movie, Kurt was supposedly the flamboyant kid, but in the play it’s Friedrich. A little more girly prancing would have taken the character a different level. However, I did observe that his robust energy in singing and delivering lines did light up the stage and entertained the audience tremendously.
Dana Sianghio as Louisa von Trapp
(no photo – shown above with the rest of the von Trapp kids performing “So Long, Farewell”)
Louisa is considered the trouble-maker among the von Trapp kids. Dana did the part justice by playing the role really well. Her ingenious delivery of her lines convinced me she’s capable of swindling anyone into doing crazy things. And with her beauty, it’s quite surprising that she can really sing.
Anton Posadas as Kurt von Trapp
I had fun watching Anton perform. He is full of vigor and enthusiasm, a real reflection of childhood. It’s rare for boys his age to be interested in theatre, but there he was singing his heart out as one of the von Trapp kids. Hopefully he pursues his career in this industry and become another world-class talent that we’ll be proud of.
Atasha Muhlach as Brigitta von Trapp
Brigitta, the smarty pants among the von Trapp kids, comes second to Liesl for being the sibling who has the most lines in the play. Atasha Muhlach is quite lucky in bagging this part, for this gave her the chance to really shine. Like her parents, she’s a natural in acting. And for her age, I was quite impressed with how clear she enunciates her words.
(no photo – pictured above with the rest of the von Trapp family)
Alexa Villaroel as Gretl von Trapp
The very cute and charming Gretl is one of the unforgettable characters in the play, and Alexa Villaroel was the right choice for the part. Shanti Gleason, the alternate for Gretl, was the better singer, but lacks the look of innocence and naivety that Alexa fortunately has.
The Setting
Resorts World Manila transports us to Salzburg, Austria with Newport Performing Arts Theater’s LED screen, which is considered the largest in Southeast Asia.
Lighting Design and Sound
Nothing negative can be said with The Sound of Music’s lighting team, spearheaded by John Batalla. They have done their job well. Similar can be said with the astounding orchestral music provided by The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Maestro Rodel Colmenar.
Costume Design and Make Up
I’m pretty sure couturier and designer Francis Libiran is also a huge fan of the 1965 The Sound of Music screen adaptation, because all the costumes that were used on the show were close replica of those used in the actual movie. This congruence gave me a warm feeling of familiarity, as if I’m watching the play as a child all over again.
Conclusion
In closing, Resorts World Manila has done a great job in bringing The Sound of Music back to the Philippines. It’s one musical play that fits right to the taste of family-oriented Filipinos. And lastly, this spectacular presentation appears to be a foreboding sign of what great things we can expect from RWM in the future.
The Sound of Music will run until December 11, 2011. Show times are 8:00PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 3:00PM and 8:00PM on Saturdays and 3:00PM on Sundays. For ticket reservations and inquiries, visit any Ticketworld outlet or the Resorts World Manila Box Office. For more information on Resorts World Manila, visit www.rwmanila.com.
SEAT SECTION TICKET PRICES
VIP – P2,000
Premiere – P1,700
Deluxe – P1,300
Balcony – P1,000
Note: The following rates apply to tickets bought from the RWM Box Office located at the main casino entrance.
Tickets are also available at all TicketWorld outlets, but price may vary from the one listed above.
Call the Resorts World Manila Tourist/Visitor Hotline at 836-6333, 908-8833 or TicketWorld at 811-9999 or visit www.rwmanila.com for more information.
Resorts World Manila Newport Performing Arts Theater – The Sound of Music
TicketWorld: The Sound of Music
Orange Magazine TV correspondent Kenneth Ignacio is a registered nurse & midwife turned culinary student who shares the food blog Certified Foodies with her sister and has his own blog Ken Avenue.