2 Lacey Kids Star in the Surflight's "The Sound of Music"

The hills are alive at the Surflight Theatre as "The Sound of Music" premieres at Ocean County’s oldest professional theater with two Lacey kids on stage.

Emily Brennan and her brother Gavin will be starring in their first professional show, running from Thursday, July 26 through Saturday, Aug. 25.

“It makes people laugh and people happy. It makes me happy,” Emily Brennan, an 11-year-old Mill Pond Elementary School student, said.

Emily and Gavin auditioned for parts after their father Ed Brennan had seen a call for cast members. The children didn’t choose their parts but auditioned for parts requested by the director and were notified three weeks later that they earned the spots.

"The Sound of Music" is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower.

Emily will be performing the role of Novice and Contestant. She is also the understudy for the parts of Louisa von Trapp and Brigitta von Trapp.

Gavin is performing the role of Kurt, the youngest boy in the von Trapp family.

“My favorite part about the experience is I’m learning a lot about this stuff and working with the different actors,” Gavin said.

This will be Emily’s third show and Gavin’s second since both have performed at school plays. Gavin, 9, is a student at Cedar Creek Elementary School.

“I just like acting,” Emily said. “It’s really fun.”

Emily and Gavin have been practicing five days a week since June 22.

“It was a lot of long days,” Gavin said.

Emily has learned the importance of being an understudy, she said.

“The hard thing for me is learning all the parts. I’m the understudy for most of the girls so it gets a little crazy plus I need to know my own part,” she said.

Gavin has learned the Landler, an Austrian folk dance. He added that he has nine costume changes, which poses a challenge.

The play is directed and choreographed by Charles Abbott with Ben Krauss as the music director. Abbott performed Blood Red Roses on Broadway in 1970 and has produced four shows at theaters across the United States.

“They really enjoyed working with him,” Ed Brennan said.

The show will feature well-known songs including "The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi" and more. The cast is listed below.

“It’s been a great learning experience for them. They’re working with very talented directors and actors. Everyone’s been so nice and so helpful for them. They’ve learned a lot about professional theater, singing, dancing and actual acting,” Emily and Gavin’s mother Jennifer Brennan said.

The Surflight Theater is located at 201 Engleside Ave. in Beach Haven. Performance times are listed below. Admission is $36 to $54. Tickets for children ages 12 and under are half price with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.surflight.org, in person at the Surflight box office, or by phone at 609-492-9477.

“I want people to come to the show,” Emily said.

“It’s closer than Broadway,” Gavin said.

The cast for Surflight’s "The Sound of Music" includes Crystal Kellogg (Maria), Al Bundonis (Capt. Von Trapp), Megan Thomas (Mother Abbess), John-Charles Kelly (Max Detweiler), Kristen Marie (Elsa Schraeder), Jenavene Bazacas (Liesl), Sasha Hayden Zitofsky (Friedrich), Devlin Stark (Louisa), Gavin Brennan (Kurt), Sienna Grinwald Alves (Brigitta), Hadley Magaziner (Marta), Nina Randazzo (Gretl), Marsha Waterbury (Sister Berthe), Jessica Kelly (Frau Schmidt), Kayley Anne Collins (Sr. Margaretta), Seth Bazacas (Franz), Daniel Plimpton (Rolf), Aliy Drago (Sister Sophia), Vincent D’Elia (Baron Elberfeld/Admiral von Schreiber), P.J. Adzima, Emily Brennan, Sarah Feinmark, Jennifer Margulis, Colton Pometta, Chrissy Hartzell, Jillian Riley, and Scott Shaefitz.

The production team of "The Sound of Music" includes Robert Klimowski (Set Designer), Candice Knox (Costume Designer), Sam Gordon (Lights), and Alan Douches (Sound). Kevin Clutz is production stage manager.

July Performances:

• Thursday, July 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Friday, July 27 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, July 28 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, July 29 at 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 31 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.