The Fernie Academy was alive with the sound of music earlier this week — literally.
Students performed the beloved Von Trapp family classic on June 7, 8 and 9 for a sizeable audience.
“We settled on the Sound of Music because of the story of resiliency and the hope that the family has. It’s an iconic musical and it was one that the kids expressed interest in doing over the years,” said drama teacher Denise Baughan.
“Everyone has a time in their life, whether it’s global or personal, where they have to be resilient and have to stick together with those people they love and care about.”
The play was a shorted student adaptation of the original, which follows the story of the Austrian Von Trapp family who must navigate life in World War II Europe where alliances divide neighbours and friends. The Von Trapp family is musically inclined and they form their own concert group and perform.
Classic songs like “Do-Re-Mi”, “So Long, Farewell,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” were featured in The Fernie Academy’s musical.
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This was the school’s first big musical production since the pandemic and students from grades eight through 12 participated. Gwyn Merritt played the stern and dignified father Baron Von Trapp, while Olivia Sombrowski and Isla Barron played the family’s free-spirited and lighthearted governess Maria. Some roles were performed by multiple people so all of the students who participated could have stage-time.
“The kids got a standing ovation. It was really well-received. The audience members, some of them wanted to sing-along. They loved it.”
A drama class helped decorate the sets and a grade seven class helped with props. The students rehearsed two times a week for a few months leading up to the production.
“They were so excited to do it and they just have so much fun … Getting to see them make friendships and positive connections with people they didn’t know really well prior to really working together, that’s always special to observe.”
@gfrans15
newsroom@thefreepress.ca
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