'Sound of Music' Cast Plans for More Standing Ovations

The "Sound of Music" left hundreds of local residents , as the City of Fairfax Theatre Company backed up last year’s “Annie Get your Gun” with perhaps their best show yet. For a company that is still only three years old, the CFTC has cemented itself as a part of Farfax City’s artistic culture for years to come.

“I was unbelievably pleased with the way the cast came together and worked hard all summer long,” director Wendy Knight said. “They were well deserving of the standing ovations they received all weekend long." 

Knight, the theatre teacher at Fairfax High School, and Mike Replogle, the drama teacher at Fairfax Academy for the Arts, teamed up to create the CFTC in 2008 following a casual request from Jo Ormesher of the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department Advisory Board. They had worked together for eight years, all the while receiving similar suggestions from parents. These suggestions began to pile up after the two schools welcomed community actors in their joint production of the “King and I” in February of 2007.

“It seemed to make sense,” Knight, said. “Mike and I shared a lot of the same students already, and we realized there was a need for this type of program in the community.”

And while the concept of creating the CFTC seems fairly simple, actually putting the plan into action has had its share of difficulties.

“It has really been an interesting roller coaster ride,” Knight said.  “It was tough to find a decent rehearsal space, as well the proper funding and support.“

Still, the CFTC has proved it's here to stay. City actors put on “Children of Eden” and “Annie Get Your Gun,” before this year’s ”The Sound of Music," which Knight calls, the “most ambitious and challenging” production yet.

They have also formed a youth ensemble that performs in the fall and spring and have broadened their summer program to include workshops in singing, dancing, acting and stagecraft.

“We’ve developed our programs with three main goals for the kids,” Knight said. “The first is intellectual development that you don’t get with a desk-learning environment, such as thinking on your feet, and reacting to changes on the spot. We also hope to help the kids build confidence, meeting new people and working with their own abilities. Lastly, we look to help them develop individual skills that they will use in everyday life, perhaps without even realizing they learned it,”

“Acting is really rewarding,” said 14-year-old Claire Daniels. "You have moments when the whole crowd is focused on you, and when they applaud it gives you more confidence, in acting and in other things.”

Ginny Cate, whose 9-year-old daughter played an orphan in this year’s play, said “There is a great community feel. This is an area rich in theatre talent, and we all come here for the same purpose to continue encouraging friends and family to become more involved.”

Judging by the overwhelming support of the crowds and those involved, it appears the Fairfax City community won’t lose that feel any time soon.

The CFTC will put its final three performances of “The Sound of Music” this weekend, Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m, and Sunday afternoon at 2.