One of the world's great musicals, Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, returns to the Durban stage after an absence of some 13 years. This big-stage crowd-pleaser is on the cards for the Playhouse Company's Festive Season. It is set to open for a four-week season on December 6.

The Sound of Music was last seen at the Playhouse in 1992 when it re-opened the Opera theatre following a serious fire. The new production features a predominantly Durban cast (95%) and is to be directed by widely respected theatre luminary Ralph Lawson. Decor is by Greg King with costumes by Neil Stuart Harris.

Starring as the charismatic Maria Reiner is stage and TV leading light, Angela Kilian. She will cast opposite Cape-town based Peter Butler as Captain Von Trapp. Principal casting also includes Durban-born Dale Wesson (recently seen as Carmen in Bravo! Night at the Opera), and locally based theatre practitioners Tamar Meskin, Thandulwazi Ncube, Julie Solomon, Judith Hawthorn and Thomie Holtzhausen.

With its score of sure-fire musical hits conducted by Graham Scott, and the KZNPO in the pit for each performance, this not-to-be-missed theatre occasion calls for early booking well in advance.

The show's duration is two hours (including interval). Evening performances Tuesdays to Saturdays at 19h30 (Sundays at 18h00) with Saturday matinees at 14h00. A special New Year’s Eve show (the final performance of the season) starts at 21h30.

Book at Computicket or on 083 915 8000 or Dial-a-Seat on 031 369 9555. Pre-booked tickets cost R45, R55 and R75. Tickets purchased an hour before performances cost R50, R65 and R85.