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The Sound Of Music At 'The Woods'

two nuns talk

Faculty member Sharon Ammen is the director of theatre at Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College. She's a veteran director of both straight plays and musicals. Most recently she says, "I was thinking that it was time to do a big traditional musical. I knew that I had the voices for Maria and for the Mother Abbess. So, I thought that the rest would just fall into shape and that it should be a wonderful play. "

And did it all ‘fall into shape?' "Well, no." Ammen admitted. "We had to do a good deal of pushing and prodding." Part of that pushing and prodding was assembling a mixed cast for a show at the all-girls school. "We went for a professional for Captain von Trapp and we're very happy to have Brandon Wentz back on campus with us. For the other roles we looked to Indiana State University, the community and some of our own staff and faculty."

"But, the story of Maria and her love, first for the children and then for Captain von Trapp, of seeking her place in society is such a heart-warming one has made it worth the effort. And the music is just so beautiful. It leaves you humming the tunes. In fact a lot of people will be humming them on the way to the show."

At the same time there is a dark side to the Trapp Family story in pre World War II Austria. "Following Friday evening's performance we've invited Arthur Feinsod the director of theatre at Indiana State University and Pat McIntyre a professor of theology here at Saint Mary of the Woods to discuss anti-Semitism in pre World War II Austria and whether The Sound of Music still has something to say to us today about anti-Semitism."

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