Adrianne Elkins and Laurie Finnegan Photo by Max Woltman

Landmark Musicals engages the whole community in family shows and has a long-standing tradition of loyal actors and creative personnel. They mount musicals that demand larger resources, and they never scrimp. With their partnership with Sandia Prep, they nurture talented young people and regularly select musicals that have large casts of juvenile performers. With this production's cast of forty-three, orchestra of seventeen, and production team of thirty-three, Landmark shows they are dedicated to high production values and the power of a live show. In this day of major cuts to arts programming and shows with small casts and recorded music, it is a delight to see this level of commitment.

The cast of The Sound of Music is exceptional. Adrianne Elkins as Maria and Laurie Finnegan as The Mother Abbess stand out as great singers and consummate professionals. Michael Finnegan as Captain von Trapp and Jonathan Graff as Max Detweiler are also fine. Tanya Rivers Granados as Baroness Schraeder is haughty and marvelous. In short, all the leading actors deliver nearly perfect performances. The thirteen+ member Nun Ensemble sings beautifully and adds texture and sense of place to the show. As the supporting household staff, Rob Armstrong Martin as butler Franz and the venerable Carolyn R. Ward as housekeeper Frau Schmidt are superb. Even the extras for the party scene and the Nazis are terrific.

Nearly everyone knows that The Sound of Music features the seven von Trapp children as they learn to sing under the tutelage of Maria, their governess. Landmark Musicals has chosen to double cast these young actors. To be precise, the six younger siblings are organized into the Do Re Mi Cast and the La Ti Do Cast. Older sister Liesel is played by the talented Eva Fuerzas-Zamora in both casts. The listing of these young actor/singers is a who's who of juvenile performers in the Albuquerque area.

The set design by Carrie Tafoya includes several well-executed painted backdrops. The set pieces for each scene are moved around a little too much for my taste, but this is a minor concern. Costumes by Erin Moots are always appropriate and fit the actors well. Kudos to wardrobe managers Gayle Smart and Em Douglas who have their hands full with multiple costume changes and all those children and nuns coming and going. Lighting design by Diego Garcia includes lighting several actors on ramps into the house. This is executed well. Sound design is great, and Simon Welter should be congratulated that each actor can be heard well for singing and speaking.

The orchestra is extraordinary under the direction of Shelly Andes. Special recognition goes to choreographers Courtney and Louis Giannini who manage the children's movement well and give the extras in the party scene dances they can execute. They created a dance duet for Liesl, played by Eva Fuerzas-Zamora (who is a trained dancer), and Rolf Gruber, played by Wyatt Rodriguez (who probably is not that well trained), that is effective and quite beautiful.

Landmark Musicals' The Sound of Music runs through November 30, 2025, at the Rodey Theatre, Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico main campus, 203 Cornell Dr, Albuquerque NM. Performances are Fridays at 7:00 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm, and Saturday, November 29 at 2:00 and 7:00 pm. Tickets are Adults $30, First Responders/Military/Seniors/Educators $26, Students (under 12) $15. For tickets and information, please call the UNM ticket Office at 877-664-8661 (toll free) or 505 277-4529 or visit landmarkmusicals.org.

Produced by Louis Giannini, Directed by William R. Stafford, Music Director Shelly Andes, Production Manager Maddie Barker, Choreographers Courtney & Louis Giannini, Scenic Designer Carrie Tafoya, Costume Designer Erin Moots, Lighting Designer Diego Garcia, Sound Designer Simon Welter.

The Cast: Adrianne Elkins, Michael Finnegan, Jonathan Graff, Laurie Finnegan, Tanya Rivers Granados, Wyatt Rodriguez, Eva Fuerzas-Zamora. The Do Re Me Cast of the von Trapp children: Kyle Brunton, Eva Nelson, Lucca Giannini, Nika Ivanchov, Evelyn Thorpe, and Aspen Rogers. The La Ti Do Cast of the von Trapp children: Bennett Gariety, Louisa Capri Granados, Jude Chavez Stromei, Emma Trapnell, Autumn Molina, Cleopatra Taylor. Laura Bartolucci, Rachel Hance, Erin Walker, Rob Armstrong Martin, Carolyn R. Ward, Riley Robinson, Gary Bearly, Lynn Loomis, Louise Loomis, Raegan White, Mary Ellin Brooks, Michelle Bunzel, Sarah Gayle, Melody Gallagher, Sharee Gariety, Abby Greenwald, Renee Honn, Lorien Megill, Janelle Wolfe, Jean Yellowhorse, Tom Brunton, Caleb Esquivel, Hayden Gariety, Anthony Granados, Jared Greenwald, Sandra Ivanchov, William Strohl.