The Von Trapp children have been cast for the NBC Live Telecast of the musical Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood. Check out a photo of Carrie with the kids, who were cast after a nationwide search.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! — Pictured: (l-r) Ella Watts-Gorman as Luisa, Sophia Caruso as Brigitta, Grace Rundhaug as Marta, Michael Nigro as Friedrich, Carrie Underwood as Maria, Ariane Rinehart as Liesl, Peyton Ella as Gretl, Joe West as Kurt — (Photo by: Giovanni Rufino/NBC)
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — Nov 1, 2013 — After an exhaustive nationwide search, seven talented young actors have won the coveted roles of the von Trapp children in NBC’s musical production of “The Sound of Music Live!”
The three-hour telecast airs Thursday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
“The Sound of Music Live!” stars six-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood as Maria and “True Blood” star Stephen Moyer as Capt. Georg von Trapp. Moyer recently headlined in the stage version of the musical “Chicago” at the Hollywood Bowl.
Also co-starring are Tony Award winners Audra McDonald (Mother Abbess), Laura Benanti (Elsa Schrader) and Christian Borle (Max Dettweiler).
The young cast set to play the von Trapp children are Ariane Rinehart (Liesl), Michael Nigro (Fredrich), Ella Watts-Gorman (Louisa), Joe West (Kurt), Sophia Caruso (Brigitta), Grace Rundhaug (Marta) and Peyton Ella as young Gretl.
The live holiday spectacular is based on the original 1959 Broadway production of “The Sound of Music,” starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The iconic story centers on a young woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a naval officer widower.
“The Sound of Music Live!” is executive produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. Beth McCarthy-Miller and Rob Ashford serve as co-directors. “The Sound of Music Live!” is produced by Universal Television.
