Hundreds of Kiwi kids are expected to apply to become Captain von Trapp’s children in the upcoming nationwide tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Producers today announce that auditions will be held in Christchurch on Saturday 20 May at the Isaac Theatre Royal for a tour that will take in 20 cities in September and October this year.

WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR

They are looking for two teams of children to play the youngest six von Trapp children: Gretl, Marta, Brigitta, Kurt, Louisa and Friedrich.

The children will be paid for their roles as it is a fully professional production, produced by Ben McDonald Ltd, and under the direction of former Shortland St star Geraldine Brophy. benmcdonaldassistant@gmail.com

Children must be at least 10 years of age, and be able to sing, dance and act. Boys must have unbroken voices to able to sing in the required vocal range and can be of any nationality or ethnicity.

AUDITIONS | WHERE | WHEN | WHAT

Place: Gloucester Room at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch

Date: Saturday 20th May

Apply for your audition time by emailing: benmcdonaldassistant@gmail.com

Recall Auditions for some children: From 3pm to be advised via email after the initial audition.

What to Wear: Comfortable clothes and shoes that you can move in. No stage make-up required.

• This legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein musical features an unforgettable score that includes some of the most famous songs ever performed on the musical stage including “My Favorite Things”, “Edelweiss”, “Do-Re-Mi”, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, “The Lonely Goatherd”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”, and the title song “The Sound of Music”.

• THE SOUND OF MUSIC tells the uplifting true story of Maria, the fun-loving governess who changes the lives of the widowed Captain von Trapp and his seven children by re-introducing them to music, culminating in the family’s escape across the mountains from Austria.

• The musical originally premiered on Broadway in 1959 to record-breaking advance ticket sales, where it won eight Tony Awards - including “Best Musical”. The show opened in London in 1961 and became the longest-running American musical of its generation. The 1965 Hollywood film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, won five Oscars, including “Best Picture”, and quickly became the highest-grossing film in history. Even today, THE SOUND OF MUSIC remains the most successful movie musical in history.

• Since the turn of the 21st century, the enduring magic of THE SOUND OF MUSIC has lead to major productions around the world, giving testament to its title as “The World’s Most Popular Musical”.