"Doug Elkins & Friends' Fraulein Maria" a raunchy take on the classic musical at HSC


by Kory Loucks

HARTFORD — Kicking off the Hartford Stage summer season is the raucous, raunchy dance interpretation of the classic musical "The Sound of Music" in "Doug Elkins & Friends’ Fraulein Maria."
This wild and unconventional 60-plus minute version is set to the 1965 film sound track.
There are three Marias (one of whom is a guy) often dancing concurrently, Liesel who is a 6-foot-something guy (the lithe John Sorensen-Jolink) dressed in a pink frock dancing with a shorter black Rolfe, (Therman Christopher) and the Reverend Mother who is a hip-hop boxing, basketball playing gang-banger (Doug Elkins).
Need I say, this version is not your mother’s "The Sound of Music."
The dance movements are earthy and modern, with touches of ballet and the old soft-shoe with bare feet, and just about every other style of dance imaginable, by this capable and athletic dance troupe.
There are plenty of hip thrusts and shimmying reminiscent of the "I Love Lucy" episode when she was stomping grapes in a wine vat, with legs splayed, skirts hiked, and feet bared.
It’s a sexy show, with one particular gesture indicating a whiff of bodily scent during the Liesel and Rolfe "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" number that many in the audience seemed to enjoy, but grossed me out.
This gesture alone makes it an adult show and not for the kids.
I have seen many community theater productions of "The Sound of Music" and of course the film, but have never just listened to the sound track, with all the amazing songs, each one so unique, lovely, and almost perfect.
Here, in this dance version of the original, the songs and the singers, including the amazing Julie Andrews, and the remarkable music and lyrics by the inimitable Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, hold up beautifully.
Michael Preston kick things right off from the start having the audience sing parts of "Do-Re-Mi," which is a clever turn and draws us right into the fun. Much of the show follows the plot and demonstrates how well suited the musical is to sheer dancing, conceived and choreographed by Elkins.
In addition to the songs already mentioned, "Climb E’vry Mountain," "The Lonely Goatherd," "My Favorite Things," "Maria," "So Long, Farewell," and of course the title song "The Sound of Music," are all brought to new life through dance.
Some numbers don’t adhere to the plot at all, such as "Edelweiss" where two men (presumably Capt. Von Trapp and perhaps Max Detweiler) sit on a park bench and do an awkward dance with a hat that doesn’t really go with the song or the show.
Still, its marvelous to see an entire performance devoted to dancing, an art form that doesn’t get enough representation these days. Can a dance interpretation of "Mary Poppins" be next?
Hartford is alive with "The Sound of Music" and the vision of dance at the Hartford Stage Company, through June 26.

3 ½ Stars
Location: Hartford Stage Company, 50 Church St., Hartford.
Production: Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Conceived and choreographed by Doug Elkins. Directed by Barbara Karger and Michael Preston. Lighting design by James Latzel. Costume designs by Barbara Karger and Robin Staff.Running time: 65 minutes with no intermission.
Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinee performances Sundays and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through June 26.
Tickets: $25- $50. Call 860-527-5151 or visit their website at hartfordstage.org.
DANCERS
Hilary Brown, Doug Elkins, Daniel Charon, Therman Christopher, Krista Jansen, Deborah Lohse, Kellie Ann Lynch, Cori Marquis, Meghan Merrill, Donnell Oakley, Joshua Palmer, Michael Preston, John Sorensen-Jolink