This December, the family-friendly classic musical (and Hillary’s all-time favorite) The Sound of Music will be broadcast live on NBC. Our Camp Broadway staff members and blog writers are extremely excited, so here are 5 reasons why you should watch The Sound of Music this holiday season!
1. It’s LIVE!
No pre-recording, this show will be happening live for one night only, as you would experience on the Broadway stage. The last time musicals were broadcasted live on television was in the 1950s, so it’s great that NBC is bringing back musicals on such a major network after five decades! Let’s hope The Sound of Music leads to more live broadcasts in the future to bring this entertainment back to the small screen!
2. Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is staring as Maria von Trapp in her first musical! This country music superstar has grown over the years from American Idol and is now taking on Broadway. With a powerful voice and natural charm, she is perfect for the role; hopefully Carrie will be in NYC on stage some day?
3. Something for True Blood fans
Fans of the HBO vampire series True Blood will be excited to see Stephen Moyer as Captain von Trapp. No matter if they double as musical theater fans or not, his acting talent will sure translate to Sound of Music. He was recently in the Hollywood Bowl production of Chicago over the summer as Billy Finn, so he is no stranger to the stage. Now it’s time for Stephen to take a bite out of this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.
4. Broadway Superstars
If you are a Broadway fanatic like myself, this cast will make you sing from the mountain tops! Five time Tony winner Audra McDonald will dub the nun garb as Mother Abbess. Plus NBC and Broadway alums Laura Benanti (Playboy Club, Go On) and Christian Borle (Smash) will star as Elsa Schrader and Max Detweiler, respectively. With Tony’s galore and plenty of television experience, they round out an already all-star cast. The Sound of Music will definitely relieve any Smash withdrawals.
5. The Sound of Music is a classic
Written in the Golden Age of Musicals, legendary composers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein spun gold with this musical. The original 1959 production with Mary Martin had a hit cast album that was number one on the charts for 16 weeks straight. The film starring Julie Andrews won five Oscars including Best Picture. Plus you’ll recognize many unforgettable songs like “Do-Re-Mi” and “My Favorite Things.”
The Sound of Music is live on Thursday, December 5th at 8/7c on NBC. Don’t miss this spectacular event and one of Camp Broadway’s favorite things!