The Hills are Alive! The Muny Announces Complete Cast, Design and Production Team for The Sound of Music

ST. LOUIS (July 14, 2021) — The Muny announced today its complete cast, design and production team for The Sound of Music, the second show of the theatre’s 103rd season. The Sound of Music runs Aug. 3 – 9. The Sound of Music is proudly sponsored by Edward Jones.

“This wonderful team of artists is so eager to finally give this beloved musical beautiful life on the Muny stage,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “It’s our first production in 11 years, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

Joining the previously announced Kate Rockwell (Maria Rainer), Michael Hayden (Captain Georg von Trapp), Bryonha Marie Parham (The Mother Abbess), Jenny Powers (Elsa Schraeder), John Scherer (Max Detweiler), Elizabeth Teeter (Liesl von Trapp) and Andrew Alstat (Rolf Gruber) are Leah Berry (Sister Margaretta), David Hess (Franz), Michael James Reed (Herr Zeller), April Strelinger (Frau Schmidt), Jerry Vogel (Admiral von Schreiber), Jillian Depke (Brigitta von Trapp), Parker Dzuba (Kurt von Trapp), Abby Hogan (Marta von Trapp), Amelie Lock (Louisa von Trapp), Kate Scarlett Kappel (Gretl von Trapp) and Victor de Paula Rocha (Friedrich von Trapp).

A high-spirited ensemble completes this cast, including Jordan Bollwerk, Emma Gassett, Madison Geiger (Gretl von Trapp understudy), Ta’Nika Gibson, Julie Hanson, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Beth Kirkpatrick, Debby Lennon, Eric Jon Mahlum, Leann Schuering, Blakely Slaybaugh and Taylor Tveten. The company will also be joined by the Muny Teen youth ensemble.

As previously announced, The Sound of Music is directed by Matt Kunkel and choreographed by Beth Crandall with music direction by Ben Whiteley.

The production team leading The Sound of Music includes scenic design by Paige Hathaway, costume design by Tristan Raines, lighting design by Shelby Loera, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Caite Hevner and wig design by Kaitlyn A. Adams. The production stage manager is Nancy Uffner.

The Telsey Office is the official casting partner for The Muny.

KATE ROCKWELL (Maria Rainer) is thrilled to be back at The Muny! Previous Muny credits include Beauty and the Beast (Belle) and Tarzan (Jane). On Broadway, she recently starred as the original Karen Smith in Mean Girls: The Musical (Drama Desk Nomination). Her previous Broadway dumb blondes include originating the role of Skylar in Bring It On: The Musical, Rock of Ages, Hair and Legally Blonde. She’s been seen recently as Nina Bennett on Fox’s Almost Family, High Maintenance, Deadbeat and Sex and the City: The Movie. Upcoming: Harlem on Amazon. She released her debut solo album, Back To My Roots, in 2018 on Broadway Records, and has performed her solo concert by the same name at Birdland Jazz Club, City Winery and other venues in NYC. She is a WSET-certified wine lover and has the two cutest dogs on the planet.

MICHAEL HAYDEN (Captain Georg von Trapp) Broadway: All My Sons, Festen, Henry IV, Judgement at Nuremberg (Tony nomination), Cabaret, Carousel. Off-Broadway: The Lady from Dubuque, Measure for Measure, Dessa Rose, Far East. London: Cabaret, Carousel (Olivier nomination). Regional: Much Ado About Nothing, The Winter’s Tale, Henry V, Richard II, Merrily We Roll Along. Film: Patient 001, Charming Billy (American Film Institute Best Actor Award). TV: Evil, Elementary, Chicago Fire, Law & Order and Murder One.

BRYONHA MARIE PARHAM (The Mother Abbess) is thrilled to be making her Muny debut in her home state! Broadway: Prince of Broadway, TheBook of Mormon, After Midnight, The Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess, Ragtime. Off Broadway/NY: Promenade (NY City Center Encores!), Candide (Carnegie Hall), Ragtime (Lincoln Center). National tour: Falsettos. World premieres: Dave (Arena Stage), Prince of Broadway (Tokyo Theatre Orb). Concert: New York Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra (Bernstein’s Mass), Kansas City Symphony, 92^nd Street Y Lyrics & Lyricists series. Regional: The Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess (American Repertory Theater), Ragtime (Kennedy Center), TheCivil War (NETworks), Hair (Sacramento Music Circus), Dreamgirls (Effie, North Shore), Little Shop of Horrors (Berkshire Theatre Group) and many more! Television: The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage!; Madam Secretary, Live from Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd in Concert (Beggar Woman) and Show Boat in Concert, 66th and 68th Annual Tony Awards, The Today Show. Twitter/Instagram: @BryonhaMarie

JENNY POWERS (Elsa Schraeder) is thrilled to be back at the Muny where her credits include 1776 (Abigail Adams, 2019), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Monotony Singer/Hildy, 2018), Mamma Mia! (Tanya, 2016), The Addams Family (Morticia Addams, 2014), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins, 2013), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Milly, 2011), Camelot (Guenevere, 2009) and Oliver! (Nancy, 2006). Broadway: Rizzo in Grease and Meg in Little Women. Theatre highlights: Marie Dancing Still (5th Avenue Theatre), Lois Lane in It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman (NY City Center Encores!), Donnybrook! (Irish Rep, Drama Desk nomination); Dangerous Beauty (Pasadena Playhouse), Happiness (Lincoln Center), Secondhand Lions (5th Avenue) and Little Dancer (Kennedy Center). TV: The Mysteries of Laura, Blue Bloods, Power, The Good Wife, Mercy, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Nurse Jackie, All My Children. She is also the co- founder of The Link Theatre Company thelinktheatre.org jenny-powers.com

JOHN SCHERER (Max Detweiler) has appeared at The Muny in Cinderella, Kinky Boots, Annie, Young Frankenstein, The Buddy Holly Story, The Addams Family, Spamalot and Mame. He has appeared on Broadway in LoveMusik, By Jeeves and Sunset Boulevard. Off-Broadway credits include Dames at Sea, Olympus on My Mind and Preppies. Other NY credits include The Most Happy Fella (NY City Opera) and Out of This World (NY City Center Encores!). He has toured nationally in 42nd Street, Cats, Mame, Hello, Dolly! and White Christmas. His regional credits include Arena Stage, Goodman Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Kennedy Center, Goodspeed Opera House, Paper Mill Playhouse and many others. Television credits include Blue Bloods, The Shield, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order (SVU and CI) and Titus. He is originally from Buffalo, NY and is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.

ELIZABETH TEETER (Liesl von Trapp) is thrilled to return to the Muny stage after last being seen off-Broadway as Lily in The Secret Life of Bees (Atlantic Theatre Company). Broadway: Betty in The Crucible, Young Elizabeth in The Audience, starring Helen Mirren; and Jane Banks in the closing company of Mary Poppins. Other NYC credits include workshops with Kathleen Marshall, Anne Kauffman, Leigh Silverman, Rachel Brosnahan and more. Regional: The Muny, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Tennessee Williams Festival, Variety Theatre. TV/Film: Leaving (short film), The Last O.G. (TBS). You can also see her this August as Laura in The Glass Menagerie with the Tennessee Williams Festival. Eleven years ago, she played one of the tiniest von Trapp children at The Muny and is honored for this full circle moment. @elizabethteeterofficial

ANDREW ALSTAT (Rolf Gruber) is thrilled to be returning to The Muny for his second season! Originally from Pomona, Illinois, Andrew is a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his BFA in Musical Theatre. He was last seen on the Muny stage as Chuck Cranston in Footloose. Recent credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Rocky) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Frederick) for CCM, Newsies (Albert, Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts), Legally Blonde (Emmett) and Anything Goes (Billy Crocker) for McLeod Summer Playhouse. @a_alstat. @andrewalstat_photography

LEAH BERRY (Sister Margaretta) is overjoyed to return to the Muny stage in The Sound of Music. Thank you to the incredible Muny team for all their hard work in making this season a reality! Past Muny productions include Meet Me In St Louis, My Fair Lady, South Pacific and an appearance as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Other favorite roles include Nellie in South Pacific (Stages St. Louis), Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Ozark Actors Theatre), Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act (Stages St. Louis), Marian in The Music Man and Maria in The Sound of Music (both for The Little Theatre on the Square). Based in Saint Louis and proud momma of two, she is frequently seen dashing after neighborhood garbage trucks with an exuberant son in tow!

DAVID HESS (Franz) Broadway: Sunset Boulevard (Jonesy), Sweeney Todd (u/s Sweeney Todd/Judge Turpin), Annie Get Your Gun (u/s Frank Butler/Buffalo Bill). National tours: The Bridges of Madison County (Charlie), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Ragtime (Admiral Peary/Charles Whitman). Carnegie Hall/Royal Albert Hall: Kristina (Daniel). Lincoln Center: Dessa Rose (Bertie). Off-Broadway: Prodigal, Love in a Thirsty Land. Regional: Shenandoah (Charlie Anderson, Jefferson Award for Best Actor), Jane Eyre (Rochester, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and Dean Goodman Choice Awards for Best Actor), Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson, Marlowe Award for Best Actor), Grand Hotel (Baron, Barrymore nominee), Sweet Charity (Vittorio Vidal, B. Iden Payne nominee). Film: New York Crossing, Tennessee Nights. TV: Madam Secretary, The Americans, Elementary, Power, The Good Wife, Royal Pains. Toured Europe and South Africa for the Travel Channel’s Fantasy Rails for Millionaires. www.DavidHess.info

MICHAEL JAMES REED (Herr Zeller) is delighted his return to theatre is with The Muny! Favorites from his 10 previous appearances include 1776, Paint Your Wagon, South Pacific, Tarzan, West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof. Local audiences have seen him frequently at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (over 15 productions including Pride and Prejudice, A Doll’s House Part 2 and Oslo) and with St. Louis Shakespeare Festival (over 10 appearances including Love’s Labour’s Lost and Romeo and Juliet). New York: La Bête (Broadway, original production), King Lear (Roundabout), Amphitryon (Classic Stage Company) and A Forest in Arden (New York Theatre Workshop). Regional: Old Globe, Pasadena Playhouse, Alley Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, and South Coast Repertory. TV: Numb3rs, JAG, 24, Six Feet Under, The Shield, King of Queens, That ‘70s Show and Chicago P.D.; Michael is a graduate of Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London. More at www.michaeljamesreed.com

APRIL STRELINGER (Frau Schmidt) is overjoyed to be back on stage after this past year with her 10th Muny show. Favorite roles on her hometown stage: Ernestina Money in Hello, Dolly!; Mrs. Mayor in Seussical and Lucinda in Into the Woods. Off-Broadway and regional roles: Kathy in The Last Five Years, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Shelly in Bat Boy and Dot in Sunday in the Park with George.

JERRY VOGEL (Admiral von Schreiber) Muny credits: Pirates!, Shrek The Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, All Shook Up, Guys and Dolls, 1776 and Footloose. Recent credits: Oslo (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (St. Louis Shakespeare Festival), Time Stands Still (New Jewish Theatre), A Tree, Falling (Upstream Theatre). Other regional credits: The Black Rep, Insight Theatre, Mustard Seed Theatre, The Actor’s Studio, Cincinnati Playhouse, Great Lakes Theater, The New Theatre, Historyonics, Theatre Project Company and Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Jerry also made his feature film debut in the Oscar-nominated Up in the Air. A proud member of AEA since 1984.

JILLIAN DEPKE (Brigitta von Trapp) is thrilled to be making her Muny debut, a dream come true! Jillian has performed with Spotlight Productions, Shooting Star Productions, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, CBC High School and Arch City Kids Theater Troupe.

PARKER DZUBA (Kurt von Trapp) is beyond excited to be returning to the stage in The Sound of Music. Parker debuted professionally in Broadway’s national tour of Les Misérables as Gavroche.

ABBY HOGAN (Marta von Trapp) is thrilled to be part of this legendary musical. Muny: Kinky Boots, Matilda and as a member of the Muny Kids Touring Troupe. Abby has performed with Ignite Theatre, Shooting Star Productions and the Arch City Kids Theatre Troupe.

AMELIE LOCK (Louisa von Trapp) is ‘over the hills’ to be part of The Muny’s 103rd season in The Sound of Music. She was last seen in Gypsy (Baby June) and Footloose. Amelie recently voiced the role of Ribberta in season three of DreamWork’s Madagascar: A Little Wild. Other favorite credits include Pollyanna in Pollyanna, Gracie Shinn in The Music Man and A Christmas Story: The Musical. Amelie studies dance and is a member of the competitive dance team at the Professional Dance Center (PDC). She is a proud member of the Muny Kids Troupe and has performed as a member of the 2020 Missouri All-State Choir.

KATE SCARLETT KAPPEL (Gretl von Trapp) is over the moon to make her Muny debut! Kate is 9 years old and is going to be in the 4th grade at South City Catholic Academy in St. Louis. She takes voice lessons with Mrs. Lisa Fahey and dance classes at Professional Dance Center, where she is a member of the Ensemble competition team. When she is not dancing or singing, she is playing wiffle ball with her three big brothers or playing Barbies.

VICTOR DE PAULA ROCHA (Friedrich von Trapp) is delighted to join the cast of The Sound of Music. Victor is a rising junior in high school, and some of his favorite things are foreign language study, trying new recipes, and spending time with his dog Frank. Prior Muny credits include Matilda (Nigel), Kinky Boots (Young Charlie), Gyspy (Newsboy), and the youth ensemble for The Little Mermaid, Newsies and An Evening with the Stars. He is enjoying his second year performing with the Muny Teens troupe.

ABOUT THE SHOW:
The Sound of Music features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, and is suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp.

Considered by many to be the world’s most beloved musical, The Sound of Music reminds us that with heartfelt compassion and unwavering determination, life’s mountains can always be climbed. With its Tony, Grammy and Academy Award-winning score, including “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss” and the iconic title track “The Sound of Music,” the hills of Forest Park come alive once more!

New season subscriptions for the 2021 five-show season are still currently available through July 23. Single tickets are available now. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online at muny.org or by phone by calling (314) 361-1900 ext. 1550.

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Emerson is proud to be The Muny’s 2021 Season Sponsor.

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The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, we produce world-class musicals each year and welcome over 350,000 theatregoers over our summer season. Celebrating 103 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org