 Academy are returning to the stage next week. This is with the production of a musical that needs no introduction, the sound of music, and it's actually going to mark 10 years since Encore first staged it. Well, I've got the director, Rebecca Thompson. I've got Anna Gulliver, who plays the role of Maria and Mark Leonard, who's playing the role of the captain in studio now in studio and on mic and on camera. So guys, welcome to the studio. Thanks for coming in. And start with you, Rebecca. It's your job to pull it all together. You've been rehearsing since January. January. Yeah, so it's kind of a quick turnaround for us on this occasion. We just decided after Christmas that we would apply for the rights for the sound of music. No one that was 10 years since we first staged it coming up in April. So we thought we'd be nice to revisit it. And suppose our 10 year anniversary for Encore was put to the one side because of COVID. So we thought this would be another nice way to kind of mark the success of the school and just revisit just a popular production that we've done. Popular is right. I mean, everybody knows the sound of music and loves it. And it's important to stress the sound of music. It's not just for Christmas. It's on an Easter there as well. There you go. You mentioned they're applying for the rights. Are there other different versions of the sound of music or is it just one musical in that set? Yeah, so there's just there's just the one version of the sound of music. But with any production, you have to apply for the rights to stage it. So it's not just the case of just deciding I'd love to do it and then just put that on the stage. You have to apply and then be accepted to stage it. But then you're kind of like bound by restrictions and that. So unfortunately for us for this production, the rights company have said that we're not allowed to sing I have confidence, which is a real iconic song from the film. But thankfully, the rest of the popular songs are all involved as usual. And did they give any reason? Is there any reason? No reason. We've tried. We've emailed a few times said, can you please, because Maria's going to be amazing at it. But no, for whatever reason, they didn't specify what that was. But it's just the one song, just the one song. The classics are on it. Mark, you're there as captain. And well, you've got the height and you've got the imposing figure of the captain, as we know from the film Christopher Plummer. Looking forward to it. Have you played it before? I haven't played this role before. No. But like you mentioned, it is an iconic movie, the 1965 film. Everyone has seen it a lot of times. Yes. So that can be good and bad, right? Because they have people have a perspective of what it's going to be like. Correct. But you want to bring your own stamp to it too. So I think Rebecca's done a really good job there of having all the things that people want to see. But having her own twist on it as well. Yeah, which is good. And then audiences straight, sort of straight away, they kind of go, okay, this is a cast and I was, you know, doing it sort of their way. And I want to maybe slightly set aside my, you know, misconceptions or preconceptions, if you like. Because as you say, Mark, it's a good and a bad thing that people know the captain from the film. And there's been countless times as we all have. But anyhow, your version of the captain you've been rehearsing. We've been trying yet. We the adults cast came in a little bit later than the children. So I can remember that first rehearsal arriving and all the kids knew almost everything. So they're looking at me as I tried to get through something I just about knew. So it was daunting for you. It was all these tiny humans looking at me, wondering where they found me. Mostly for young people. Obviously, there's there's adult roles in this as well. And they have to be accommodated. But you can't you can't go and change the musical to suit. No, you're not allowed to change anything. And again, due to the rights, you're not allowed to change any of the script or any of the songs. We just have to stick to what that is, which thankfully is true to form to the to the film, more or less. So we're lucky in that respect. Yeah. Anna. Yes, Maria. Hello. Yeah. Maria obviously in the film. And have you played the role before? I've not, but I was in the production before. Okay. So I actually played Marta when I was seven. So it's a very Have you much memories of that? I remember it actually very clearly. It was my first production I've ever done. And I remember having the chicken pox on stage. So it's kind of dark memories of it. It was it's amazing to be back now. Chicken pox. Without chicken pox. Thankfully, you can only get it once. We're lucky. But it's mad to be back, you know, like, good few years later playing the lead role. It's it's amazing. I'm so glad for the opportunity and thankful for Rebecca for giving it to me as well. Rebecca, a big cast of children and, you know, young actors. Yeah, it's a great opportunity for them. This is what it's all about. Yeah, I mean, we've a cast of 49 and dispose for me. We usually are working with all the children and on core for either like a general theater showcase. We just stage Matilda Junior, the musical last May, which was because it was a junior production, the eldest performer had to be no more than 19. So for me, it's a normal case to be working with 90 to 130 children and any given show. But we just have 11 children in this production. And I'm always quite conscious of that, that we try and, you know, cast age appropriately as well. As you were saying, like, I'm not going to put a 15 year old fella and his captain Von Trapp. So for all on core productions, we do cast age appropriately. And then anyone that's under 18, we do select from our own students for that. But for the many of them, children, they're big roles. They're massive roles. Yeah. And I mean, the Von Trapp children, they're in a lot of scenes. And for a lot of these children, they've never worked with a musical director before musical directors, Jay Bradley, who's been phenomenal, he's amazing. But it's great to get the children in and working with a full creative team such as a musical director and live band. And also, you know, for them to learn from the adults as well. And it's on core performing arts and association with on core theater productions, which we set up to kind of accommodate or pass students such as Anna and Andrea Logue, who's playing Elsa, to come on board and just continue that love for performing. And like as an adult company. Yeah. Yeah. And obviously, then it makes, you know, musicals where there's a lot of adult roles more accessible and more doable. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. So Mark, you're keeping all the kids in order. Or at least that's a plan. Well, that's definitely something that's beyond me. But yeah, that is the plan. Okay. Yeah. The whistle. We have the whistle in my ears. They're ringing some of my favorite rehearsals for this. When we first got the whistle, actually still have it in my pocket from the first got the whistle. And we're playing a scene where the kids all come running tours. I mean, I give it a good blast to stop them in their tracks. I hadn't blown this particular whistle before. I almost took the ears off everybody. Okay, we're going to hear a song from the musical. And what's what's which song is this? This is the sound of music. Yes. Okay. Me to stay and I listen for one that the hills my songs they have starts to beat like the wings of the birds that rise from the heart wants to sigh like a chime that as it trips and falls over stones in its way to Anna Gullher and Anna is going to be playing the role of Maria in the sound of music next week and so on in the Alley Theatre in Sturban. And Mark Leonard, who we've been chatting to as well as the role of captain. No pressure, Mark, after hearing that. Okay, and tickets available online this next Wednesday through to Saturday. Yeah, tonight week's opening night. Yeah. Okay. And it's all coming together. Anna, you won't you won't have the notes. You won't have the words. You know what I said to Rebecca? I was like, I promise I know it. But when you're on the radio, you just have no harm. No, I'm not sure yet. All right. And the website is alley dash theater dot com. If you if you're inquiring about ticket availability. Okay, next Wednesday to Saturday. The best look to you all with it. Break leg. Thank you so much. Thank you. Sun soak in Mexico.