It is 1938, Adolf Hitler begins to march his troops commanding to take over the next location: Austria. World War II has barely begun in this story starring a young woman, Maria Rainer, who is asked to serve a family of seven children by the nun at the local abbey. She later falls in love with those children, and eventually their widowed father Captain von Trapp. With the Captain still mourning his long lost wife, Rainer brings music into the house at last bonding the family together but then, the Germans reign power upon Austria causing the family the flee for their own safety.

This year Canyon High is bringing The Sound Of Music to the stage. The show will be presented November 17 through 20, in the  auditorium. The tickets are now available on TicketSpicket under special events. The lead roles of Maria Rainer is played by senior Monica Hernandez and Captain von Trapp is played by sophomore Trace Thomas.

“It’s a big process with lots of people involved. Our rehearsal process is three nights a week. We rehearse music, choreography and the staging of the show,” theater teacher Kylie Howell said. “We have technicians that are working on the lights, the sound, the set, all of that.”

Getting together three nights a week to get the musical perfect, sometimes staying till 10 p.m. according to Hernandez. Pushing past the stress and problematics, by the end of the day both Thomas and Hernandez said they found it comforting finding people all around the school working towards the same goal.

“No matter how stressful it is,” Hernandez said. “There’s never a day where I’m dreading going to rehearsal.”

The Sound Of Music is unlike other musicals Canyon has performed in the past because it based on a true story, a historical event.

“I really hope that the audience comes away from this piece emotionally impacted and changed because you have a lot of empathy for this family,” Howell said. “They are having to make a hard choice to escape from a government that they know is not going to have their best interests at heart.”

Thomas said that through each rehearsal, bonds are formed between the actor/actress and their character. He said he has really pushed himself to grow as an actor, to try things he never thought he would try before.

“[I enjoy] getting to play around with this role and the different emotions I can bring that I’ve never been able to try before,” Thomas said. “I’m enjoying it. The show for me is an experiment to see what all I can do [as an actor].”

Each fall, the all-school musical cast and crew consists of students who may not know each other. Howell said students show up each day meeting somebody new, talking to somebody new. All working towards one goal, the same goal. 

“This group has been really amazing,” Howell said. “They have really been supportive of one another. It’s really neat to see all of the elements come together, and we start the cast and crew together. It’s a fun, nostalgic show for many people. I think it’ll be really cool to see it come to life.” 

Photos from the the dress rehearsal are on the Canyon High Journalism SmugMug.