This year the Cassadaga Valley middle/high school musical is proud to present Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic “The Sound of Music.” The show will be performed Fridays and Saturdays, March 10-11 and 17-18. All shows are at 7:30 p.m.

Set in Austria on the eve of the Anschluss in 1938, the musical tells the story of Maria, who takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. She falls in love with the children, and eventually their widowed father, Captain von Trapp. He is ordered to accept a commission in the German navy, but he opposes the Nazis. He and Maria decide on a plan to flee Austria with the children.

Many songs from the musical have become standards, such as “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and the title song “The Sound of Music.”

This is the first time Cassadaga Valley has staged “The Sound of Music” in more than 40 years.

Mother Abness and some of her nuns.

Melissa Beichner is the overall director, Nicole Zenns is the pit orchestra director, and Shawn Salim is the set and stage crew manager.

The show stars students: Emily Hagberg as Maria, Titus Miller as Captain von Trapp, Leonie Happel as the Mother Abbess, Norman Barker as Max, Abigail Bacon as Elsa, and Spencer Blake as Rolf. The von Trapp children are played by Courtney Hays, Collin Beichner, Grace Zahm, Ian Andersen, Gavin Blake, Brooke Jasinski, Isabella Dutton, Alyzza Zuech, and Eliza Andersen.

There are more than 80 students involved in the production.

“We wanted to do this show because this is a classic musical that is beloved by people of all ages, and the musical showcases the talents of so many students, so we felt like it was the right time. The show highlights the importance of family and standing up for what you believe to be right, and I think these are valuable lessons we can all learn,” said Mrs. Beichner. A Cassadaga Valley alumnus, this is her second time directing the school musical at CVCS. Last year she directed “The Wizard of Oz,” taking over for Joseph Braeger who retired in 2015.

This is the first time Cassadaga Valley is doing its school musical over two weekends. To order tickets for March 10-11 or 17-18, call 962-8581 ext. 601 or go to www.cvcougars.org. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $6 for students. There is an additional 50-cent fee per ticket when ordering online.

All the students in this year’s production.

“The Sound of Music” was the last musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It debuted in 1959 and was adapted as a film musical in 1965. If you’ve never seen “The Sound of Music” or see it every year on television with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, you’ll definitely enjoy this rendition.

Maria and Captain von Trapp and the von Trapp children.