The perennial favorite musical about Maria Von Trapp — from postulant in a Salzburg Abbey, to governess for a widowed naval officer, to "climbing every mountain" to find her true love, Capt. Von Trapp, and his seven children — is recreated in Theatre Works' production of "The Sound of Music".

I think everyone who knows theater, or movies, would probably know the story, so I won't go into details. I am more interested in telling you what I saw. My first impression was: okay, how are they technically going to handle the massive set changes on a very small playing area? I was pleasantly surprised — a unit set that very cleverly converted from the abbey to the living room of the huge estate of Captain Von Trapp, with just a few changes of curtains and set pieces. And they used the stairs going down into the audience for scenes that normally would have been executed upstage for exits.

The Nuns of the Nonnberg Abbey open the play with the "Preludium", and the nuns sounded so wonderful. The orchestra, conducted by Stuart Britton, who also musically directed the show, did a remarkable job. I was impressed with the musical quality of this show more than anything else. I have always believed that when you do a musical — it had better be good to outstanding, or you may as well not do the show. This was one show that had outstanding voices, all blending to that wonderful score, much to Stuart's credit.

I also saw very good acting from some very talented members of this cast — from little Gretl to the grown-ups. Maria, played by Sarah Martini, and Mother Abbess, played by Louise Tetreault, were outstanding. Captain Von Trapp, played by Greg Bonin, recreated the role of the widowed naval officer with the same sterile military discipline the role calls for. Bonin displays some fine acting in a touching scene when he hears his children singing and breaks down and hugs them — finally, some emotion! And his musical numbers with the children were very good. I liked the choreography, which he was responsible for.

Leisl, played by Samantha Stuart, and Rolf, played by Tom Richards, were fun to watch as the young lovers doomed to part by the invasion of the Nazis.

Everyone of the children surprised me. They did an extraordinary job, both vocally and in their acting, that was truly professional. I would not be amazed if some of these kids went to Broadway someday. They were all very good, but I focused in on Rebecca Kubaska, who played Brigitta — she was excellent. And little Gretl won me over: Amy Poniatowski, a five-year-old kindergarten student with six ready-made siblings in her family. What a joy she was to watch!

Most of the supporting roles were excellent. I liked Max, played by Louis Lamoreux, and Frau Schmidt, played by Lisa Forsgard. The Baroness, played by Danielle DeRotto, stood out in my mind — especially effective in her scenes with the Captain and with Max.

And who can forget Fred Reinhardt, one of my favorite people, who played dual roles, Baron Elberfeld and Admiral von Schreiber.

I loved the original costumes, executed by Steve Pacheco and Marge Conte. They looked so authentic and rich! And the children's costumes, made from the curtains, were very colorful.

I enjoyed this production very much, and wish to praise PAUL ADAM for a fine musical production. I know what it takes to put out this kind of entertainment, and Paul has to be proud of this one.

Mark Dunn's "Belles" is an unusual and intriguing play: six sisters originally from Memphis, now scattered across the country, tell their stories entirely through 39 phone calls. None of the sisters ever share the stage — all the action unfolds through one-sided conversations — and yet the individual performances make each woman's world completely vivid. Director Mark Anderson finds six very talented actresses for these roles and gives each one her own distinct portrait. Stage manager Josh Smith also handled all the lighting cues, a formidable multi-tasking feat. House Manager Evelyn Zifcak keeps the production running smoothly.

Monica Daigle plays Peggy, the family enabler, with a sweetness and compassion that wins the audience over even when she's being overbearing. JaNae Gibbs Cottam as Aneece — an alcoholic who's moved to Philadelphia to escape — has some of the show's funniest lines, then delivers a second-act scene that stops the room cold: trying to reach her mother through Peggy, her performance puts a lump in every throat. Sheila DiSarro plays the NewAge Sherry with style and complete commitment to the fruitcake; her delivery of "DUST" — her chosen name — is "truly precious." Shannon Davies as the youngest sister Paige provides a refreshing generational contrast with the older sisters' more serious plights. Mary Concannon is hilarious as the ventriloquist Audrey, who treats her dummy Rothchild as her child — her antics and innocent quips produce unexpected laughter throughout. So for a wonderfully endearing play that moves from laughter to genuine tears, be sure to catch "Belles."

From the opening overture to the closing finale, Theatre Works' "Guys and Dolls" is a marvel to behold. Director Marge Conte, musical director Stuart Britton, and choreographer Armand Leroux have assembled a 22-member cast that handles the musical, dramatic, and dancing challenges of this beloved classic with ease. The accompaniment of the orchestra is right on the money throughout.

The four leads deliver magnificent work. Greg Bonin as Nathan Detroit has the best singing voice this reviewer has ever heard in the role — his blustery, bossy character is played with complete command, and his knee-sliding chase of Adelaide is one of the show's funniest moments. Jennifer DeCristofano as Adelaide plays the dim-bulb singer-fiancée to perfection, with an authentic New York accent in both singing and acting, and spectacular dancing in "Bushel and a Peck" and the hilarious "Take Back Your Mink." Tom Richards as Sky Masterson has a magnificent voice that he uses to full advantage — his duet with Shannon in "I've Never Been in Love Before" is exquisite, and his transition from happy-go-lucky to determined-to-help-his-gal in "Luck Be a Lady" is beautifully played. Shannon Davies as Sarah Brown has a gorgeous soprano and plays the good girl with real strength of character, never wimpy, and her slap at the end of Act One is a standout moment. The show's most poignant scene belongs to Louise Tetreault as Auntie Arvide: her rendition of "More I Cannot Wish You," delivered with beautiful warmth to her niece, moved the reviewer to tears. Joe Casey as Nicely Nicely and Steven Slate as Benny Southstreet provide much laughter as Nathan's gambling companions — Joe's "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" stops the show. Kudos to Marge and company for a wonderful evening of entertainment.