The Sound of Music is based on a true story. There really was a Maria von Trapp in Salzburg, Austria, who wanted to be a nun. Like the Maria of the musical, the real Maria was sent to the house of Captain Georg von Trapp, where she grew to love him and his children. After she married the Captain, the family became a successful singing group and toured Europe. In 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria. Opposed to Austria’s union with Germany, the family escaped via train (not by climbing over the mountains, as they do in the musical) and eventually arrived in the USA. There they continued touring and became famous. When Maria von Trapp wrote a book in 1949 about her life called The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, it became a bestseller, and yielded two popular German-language movies. Broadway director Vincent Donehue was asked to adapt the German films into a Hollywood remake, but he had a better idea:  he thought Maria von Trapp’s story would make a great Broadway play to star the legendary actress Mary Martin. A theater “dream team” of four talented men wrote the show. Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse wrote the “book,” or script. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who had written hits like Oklahoma!, composed the music and lyrics. When The Sound of Music opened on Broadway in 1959, it was a big success and won five Tony Awards, theater’s highest honor in the United States. The 1965 movie version starring Julie Andrews earned five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and stands as the most successful movie musical of all time. Today, The Sound of Music is still a beloved classic. And it’s not only popular in English; the musical is performed around the world and has been translated into dozens of languages! 
 

The Sound of Music: Youth Edition is produced through a license with R&H Theatricals (Licensor) represents the stage performance rights to over 100 musicals by more than 200 writers. These include works by Rodgers & Hammerstein (including OKLAHOMA!, SOUTH PACIFIC and THE SOUND OF MUSIC), Rodgers & Hart (PAL JOEY, BABES IN ARMS), and Kern & Hammerstein (SHOW BOAT), as well as musicals by Irving Berlin (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, WHITE CHRISTMAS), Andrew Lloyd Webber (CATS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA), Adam Guettel (THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, FLOYD COLLINS), Kurt Weill (THE THREEPENNY OPERA, LADY IN THE DARK), such perennials as BIG RIVER, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, and FOOTLOOSE, and the longest-running revues in the history of  Broadway -- SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ -- and Off-Broadway -- I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE.  Recently added titles include IN THE HEIGHTS, A CATERED AFFAIR, IT’S ONLY LIFE, [title of show], LOVE MUSIK, FACE THE MUSIC, REEFER MADNESS, ALTAR BOYZ, BERNARDA ALBA, MID-LIFE! THE CRISIS MUSICAL, and BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY. R&H Theatricals is an Imagem company:  www.rnh.com.

Windsor Performing Arts Academy (WPAA) believes that when we serve others with our talents we are able to uplift the whole community. WPAA provides musical drama experiences for public schools in Windsor K-8 and mentors many students each year at Windsor High School. all at no cost to the schools.

Students young and old are given opportunities to learn, refine, and share their talents and skills in a safe and happy environment.  We are very strict about enforcing our "No negativity, even in jest" rule. Our least skilled students are free to make mistakes and learn from them and become better.  Our highest skilled students are free to shine and to share what they know in an envy free environment.  Many areas of production are taught: Lighting, Sound, Acting, Dancing, Singing, Costuming, Set Design and Creation.