PicksInSix Review: The Sound of Music - Broadway in Chicago
She is gentle! She is wild!
PicksInSix® Review | Ed Tracy
“How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?” That lyric from “Maria” was top of mind going in to the sensational touring production of “The Sound of Music,” directed by Jack O’Brien, now playing at Broadway in Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre. The answer is, of course, you can’t, especially when that shimmering moonbeam is the marvelous Cayleigh Capaldi who portrays Maria, the true-to-life postulant turned governess, wife and survivor, on full display.
Up to this production, I have never fully appreciated the resonance of the Sisters character-defining song “Maria.” It may stem from always being swept away by the intensity of one of the great opening numbers of this, or any, musical of the era that precedes it. Once again I was stunned, lulled and thrust into the iconic Rodgers and Hammerstein score by Capaldi’s rapturous voice beckoning us into the last of the great collaborators eleven Broadway musicals. And then I thought it just might be natural to settle in during “Maria” before looking ahead to the beloved “My Favorite Things” duet that follows it.
Why delve into “Maria” in a musical that delivers so many other iconic works including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss,” “Do-Re-Mi” and “Something Good” all wonderfully performed by this superb company? It’s a beautifully constructed song with every phrase pointing to a nuance of her identity from her singular radiance, exuberance and defiance of norms to her personal magnetism that eventually wins over each of the Sisters and Mother Abbess (played here by the sensational Christiane Noll) by songs’ end.
It’s a tall order to match for an actor, but Capaldi inherently understands Maria, her motivations and the impact that she has on every character in the show, delivering a performance that, like much of the show, is of the moment, fresh, vibrant and overflowing with enthusiasm. In navigating her relationship with Chicago native Kevin Farley’s Captain Georg von Trapp and his children—always the blooming centerpiece of the show and a very endearing group here—Capaldi elevates Maria once again, maturing into her new found purpose as partner and protector.
In every aspect, O’Brien’s production honors the valiant journey of the von Trapp family who escaped oncoming Nazi oppression in 1938 and ultimately delivered them to the mountains of Vermont where the family still maintains a lasting legacy today. The book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse is suggested by Maria’s book The Trapp Family Singers and over the years the elegant Vermont establishment was home. Even a devastating fire that destroyed the main building in 1980, and with it all of Maria’s personal papers and artifacts, did not deter the matriarch of the family to rebuild. Earlier this year, the picturesque 2,600 acre resort celebrated its 75th anniversary, a testament to the lasting legacy of the family at the heart of this beautiful story.
Whether this is the first or fourth viewing for you, “The Sound of Music” at the Nederlander will provide a deep appreciation for the courage, resilience and hope embodied in the von Trapp family and, as well, one of the most satisfying and enjoyable theatrical experiences you will ever have.
PHOTO|Jeremy Daniel
Broadway in Chicago
presents
The Sound of Music
The James M. Nederlander Theatre
24 W Randolph Street
through November 2, 2025
WEBSITE
For more reviews, visit: Theatre In Chicago
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