<p>The old Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella of my childhood was originally live TV. I’m going to watch this, and I expect it will come off without a hitch. I’m excited to see my favorite SOM song, How Can Love Survive, which is not in the movie. </p>
<p>Watching the Making of SOM video, I thought that Carrie Underwood could handle the singing, but she is not an actress. The rest of the cast looked terrific.</p>
<p>Oops…that’s right. I saw Mary Martin on Broadway…not Julie Andrews! She was terrific too…but did not have the gorgeous singing voice Julie Andrews had in the role. </p>
<p>I think Carrie Underwood has an excellent voice. She should be wonderful…different but wonderful.</p>
<p>P.S. I don’t have any difficulty seeing a country singer doing a Broadway role. Linda Rondstadt did an excellent job in Pirates of Penzance (yes, she was a classically trained singer, but she was NOT making her living singing classical).</p>
<p>I played in the orchestra in an outdoor production of SOM that took place at a ski resort. They miked up Maria and had her run down the ski slope to the stage in the opening number. It was pretty cool.</p>
<p>I’ve seen a number of live productions over the years, as well as the movie of course. While Julie Andrews may define the role for many people, it is certainly possible for others to “own” the role and do a very credible job. I don’t really get why someone would refuse to watch just because it isn’t Julie Andrews. The movie is not without problems… her accent in this role always bugged me, for example.</p>
<p>I think lots of country singers can lose the twang when they want. Her singing will be fine. Hopefully her acting will be ok.</p>
<p>One great thing about this production is, everyone will do their own singing. No lip synch. Even the littlest Von Trapp can sing. The orchestra will be canned, though, according to what they said in the documentary.</p>
<p>CF - thanks for the link to ‘the making’; I just watched it, and as usual, some of those songs just make me tear up, no matter who’s singing them. I really enjoyed watching the kids evolve, from auditioning, to almost final product. </p>
<p>I think Underwood can likely pull off the singing part - losing the twang - but I still hold reservations as to her acting. We really only saw musical production rehearsals in the special… no dialogue; that will be the challenge for her.</p>
<p>Not excited at all to see this. I can’t imagine Carrie Underwood singing those songs. They will undoubtedly have to change the key for her. She isn’t an actor either, which may or may not be evident. She is surrounded by experienced and talented theatre actors in the other roles so it may be fine. I’ll watch, but no, not excited.</p>
<p>Anyone here ever done The Sound of Music sing-a-long?</p>
<p>That was a blast!</p>
<p>I don’t have to imagine Carrie Underwood singing the songs. I watched her singing the songs in the video. She sounded fine to me. I don’t think her singing will be a problem.</p>
<p>But I thought she looked and sounded awkward in the non-singing parts. OTOH, the kids were amazing, and the rest of the adult cast is top-notch.</p>
<p>My daughter was Liesl. She had a wonderful Maria. I think Carrie Underwood will be fine. She does not. The acting is a concern.</p>
<p>Ugh–I hate stunt casting! I feel the same way about this effort as I did about the casting of the Les Mis and Sweeney Todd movies–that it’s a terrible slap in the face to the many supremely talented, seasoned and hard working musical theater performers to pass them over and cast a famous face who has who has neither training nor experience in musical theater. And the hoopla over it being a live performance is also galling. Musical theater actors perform live every time–that’s the job! On a more shallow level, I’ll point out that to me Carrie Underwood is too conventionally pretty for the role. Maria isn’t supposed to be a hot blonde; the captain is charmed by her personality, not her looks, and while Julie Andrews was quite adorable in the role, her looks, as intended, paled in comparison to the elegant baroness. In addition, Audra McDonald is too young to play the abbess, a role created for an older woman. So no, I won’t be watching. I’ve seen the show on stage several times and can’t think of a reason to see this version.</p>
<p>After watching the making do SOM on NBC, I’m more hopeful and excited about this show. The capt looks too young tho to have kids as old as he does. </p>
<p>Still, I expect this show to be excellent for the singing and sets, plus other wonderful aspects, especially the kids. Much better than a lot of the gore and adventure being churned out in the movies these days. It will be different from Julie Andrews and Mary Martin but I think it will work.</p>
<p>I am watching the Making of video now and learned that the oldest Von Trap girl is a Barnard junior!! :)</p>
<p>Yes, and she seems perfect for the role. As do all the children - kudos to the casting people. And thanks to the “Making of” producers for not showing us reality-programming auditions. No cringe-worthy moments, nothing that could embarrass any of the children involved. Good karma there.</p>
<p>I loved SOM as a kid but have come to detest the movie (sorry to the fans on this thread). As wonderful as Julie Andrews, the score, and the scenery are, I just can’t enjoy what seems to me the cutesiness of the nuns and the show-bizzy kids, as well as the implausibility of certain dramatic moments and the manufactured tone of the whole thing. But that said, I think I might watch the television version because I think Carrie Underwood will be worth watching, and the rest of the cast seems excellent.</p>
<p>The only shortcoming I think Carrie Underwood might face is in her speaking voice - she seemed to have some issues with that during the documentary, and she isn’t a trained stage actress. But why shouldn’t the producers introduce this piece to a new audience? And who better to do that than a popular star with a great voice? This would be a PBS presentation with a much more limited budget and prospective audience if they simply picked the best possible Maria from the Broadway actresses out there.</p>
<p>I’ve been a SOM fan since the movie came out to the point of having journeyed to Salzburg for the bus tour a few years ago. I had my doubts about Carrie Underwood (and I’m a fan of her country performances) when this was announced, but I was impressed with her singing on the “Making of…” special. I can’t remember if I read or heard this on NPR, but evidently Julie Andrews has wished her well and said people should give her a chance, particularly since they are trying to put on the stage production and not the movie. Like several others, I think I will DVR so I can zip through the commercials. I also hate where they chop the movie when it airs on television, particularly around the ending of “I Have Confidence” and when she knocks on the door.</p>
<p>When I was growing up, SOM was my favorite movie by far. And of course, my daughters, both who were involved in MT growing up (one who has now made a career of it), enjoyed it a great deal as well. We know many VonTrapps as many live nearby and my kids went to school with them too. </p>
<p>I am not excited about the telecast on NBC, and rarely watch TV. But I may tune in simply because I do love this musical, and will feel out of the loop listening to others’ commentaries following it, if I haven’t viewed it myself. I can give Carrie Underwood a chance, but would have much preferred they had chosen a MT actress for the role. Carrie may be a great singer, but it is not the same as acting. I’m glad that the rest of the cast includes some seasoned MT performers though. I think someone else has a good point that Carrie is almost too pretty for the role too.</p>
<p>She is a talented singer and they need to draw advertisers and ratings. In the opinion of those putting on the show they needed names the public was familiar with.</p>
<p>^^I understand why stunt casting happens, but it doesn’t mean I like it. Just sayin’.</p>
<p>They might not like it either but they have to be real about paying for the show. All the lovers of true MT people (I am one) are free to get together and invest in a show with only MT people.</p>
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<p>The actor is 44, certainly old enough to have a 16 year old daughter. (But he looks younger. I had to check him on Wikipedia.)</p>