Strafford News

Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on September 8.

Northeastern Ballet Theatre (NBT), New Hampshire’s premier ballet company and training  school, is pleased to present an original Edra Toth ballet of The Sound of Music on Saturday,  September 18 at 7pm and Sunday, September 19 at 2pm at The Kingswood Arts Center in  Wolfeboro.

The production features Elisabeth von Trapp performing the opening song.   Elisabeth, who is the granddaughter of the Captain and Maria, performed a few weeks ago  at the shows in Dover and had this to say afterwards: “The show was exceptionally  beautiful and performed so eloquently, with the whole story being told so wonderfully  through movement and dance, which you so artistically and uniquely choreographed. I shall never forget the impact it had on me, seeing your version of The Sound Of Music.”

Also, a wonderful coincidence occurred during casting when Tuftonboro resident Lars  Pelletier was given the role of Kurt von Trapp.  It seems to be a happy twist of fate that  Lars, who has been dancing with NBT since he was six, should play an impish boy of eleven  who is full of life and fun. Perhaps Kurt and Lars are kindred spirits. Perhaps it is in the  genes. As it turns out, Kurt von Trapp and Lars Pelletier are cousins through maternal  lines. Kurt’s biological mother, Agathe Whitehead, and Lars’s great great, great  grandfather, Andrew Whitehead, were first cousins. The Whitehead family dispersed from  England, Agathe’s line found themselves in mainland Europe, while Andrew Whitehead’s  line came to settle in The United States.

Agathe Whitehead married Captain Georg von  Trapp and had seven children before her passing. Kurt, whose real name was Werner  (changed for the movie adaptation) was one of the seven. It was after her passing that the  widower would meet his beloved Maria. Among Lars’s family heirlooms are a set of child size Austrian lederhosen and sheet music from the von Trapp Family Singers from their  time in Philadelphia. It is quite fitting that Lars feels at home on the stage. He comes by it  honestly -- it’s in the genes! As Lars puts it, “I am excited to be on the stage and proud that I  get to play my cousin Kurt von Trapp in The Sound of Music for Northeastern Ballet  Theatre!”  At the show, enter a raffle to win an overnight stay at the Trapp Family Lodge in  Stowe, VT!  Don’t miss this special rendition of everyone’s favorite story.

Tickets are  available online at www.northeasternballet.org/performances or by calling (603) 834- 8834.  For more information about Northeastern Ballet Theatre please visit  www.northeasternballet.org or email info@northeasternballet.org.  

Original source can be found here.