Zion Opera Workshop will present The Sound of Music for its 53rd production.

This year’s show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29-March 1, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 2, at the state in Smith Auditorium, Zion UCC, Second and Iron streets in Lehighton.

Zion Opera Workshop presents a Broadway style show each year on the first weekend in March. The show selected for this year is Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music.”

This iconic play was selected because of its large cast as ZOW typically draws a large number of actors for its production. This year was no exception with a cast of over 40 actors and actresses.

Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide, earning five Tony Awards and five Oscars.

The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp follows an ebullient postulate, Maria Rainer played by ZOW veteran Laura Reichard, who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain Von Trapp played by another ZOW veteran Adam Reichard, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire Von Trapp family must make a moral decision.

The seven children include Liesl (Abigail Ehrig), Friedrich (Aidan Wowk), Louisa (Bella Moyer), Kurt (Carson Hauser), Brigitta (Carly Green), Marta (Eva Durigon) and Gretl (Samantha Sterner). The children in this show have all performed with ZOW Junior in past productions. Ehrig, Moyer and Wowk, now in high school, are now official members of the senior group.

The Nuns of the Abbey include ZOW newcomers Lisa Snell-Kern as Mother Abbess, Amy Green as Sister Berthe and Jessica Hasak as Sister Margaretta. They are joined by long time ZOW member Tara Crowe as Sister Sophia. Additional nuns are played by newcomers, Maria Balch and Rebecca Hinkle, and returnees Lizzy Reif, Heather Brown, Sophia Wentz, Meghan Sander, Kate Newsted and Betsy Maholick.

Captain VonTrapp’s main housekeeping staff is played by the husband-and-wife team of Brandon (Franz) and Eliza Cressley (Frau Schmidt), who have appeared in many ZOW shows, but most notably as a couple they appeared together as Morticia and Gomez Addams. Joining the staff is newcomer Jaimie Monahan as Maid Ursula.

Rolf Grumber, who is looking for Leisl’s affections is played by ZOW returnee, Hunter Andreas. The captain’s friends, Max Detweiler and Elsa Schraeder, are played respectively by ZOW vets Marc Firtion and Casi Reichard. Frau and Herr Zeller are played by Kate Newsted and Andrew Hrusovsky, who have appeared in several ZOW shows. The Saengerbund Of Herwegen Trio are played by Kylie Bishop, Rebecca Hinkle and Lydia Hessinger. Fraulein Schweiger is played by Claire Foeller.

Neighbors, Novices, Postulants and Festival Concert Contestants include Kathleen Lindenmoyer, Jocelyn Hoffman, Vivian Zimmerman, Cole Hrusovsky, Lilly Andreas, Cindy-Lou Morris, Catelyn Markell, Sarah Schlough, Chris Ross and Tim Arace.

Zion Opera Workshop is under the direction of Bradly R. Cressley. Technical Directors are Pati and Duane Reichard. Choreography is by Deb Strausberger of TNT dance. Costumes are being handled by Nancy Keiser, Pati Reichard and Casi Reichard. Rehearsal pianist is Lisa Schweitzer who returns this year after a brief hiatus from the group.

As always, the ZOW production will be accompanied by a live orchestra. Tickets for the show can be purchased for $10 by any member of the cast, at Carbon County Music and More at the Lehighton Boys and Girls Band Hall, 197 N. 6th St. in Lehighton, or by calling the box office at 610-392-1810.

For Thursday and Friday shows, groups of 20 or more can get a $9 ticket price, and a section of seats will be reserved and an announcement welcoming the group will be made before the show starting.