NOLA-ing: The Sound of Music Sing-Along

Guess what is coming back to the National WWII Museum? The Sound of Music Sing-Along! On Saturday, Saturday, August 18, 2018, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, hosts Becky Allen, Sean Patterson, and Mandy Zirkenbach will preside over a night of singing, fun, and audience participation when The Sound of Music is presented on a big screen. Participants are encouraged to dress up, boo the Nazis, and sing along with everyone’s favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein tunes from the Austrian countryside.

Tickets are $10 and you can purchase them by clicking here (advanced purchase is required). They sell out extremely fast, and the museum notes that since The Sound of Music Sing-Along will feature unpredictable interactive elements in a live setting—costumes, Twitter posts, and the larger-than-life hosts—that may not be appropriate for all ages.

The hosts are Becky Allen, Sean Patterson, and Mandy Zirkenbach. If you are from New Orleans, chances are that you will recognize Becky Allen as she has been an entertainer here for over 40 years, starring in numerous plays and productions throughout the years and winner of a Big Easy Lifetime Achievement Award. For a fun trip down memory, check out this link to see a clip of Becky and Shirl Cieutat talk about their classic commercials where they make po’boys.

Additionally, Sean Patterson and Mandy Zirkenbach have worked in New Orleans theatre for over twenty years. If you have been to a production at Rivertown Theaters, South Rep Theatre, Mid-City Theatre, Le Petit Theatre, etc., chances are, you have caught them in a production.

In 2016, my mom, Mr. Nola Nerd, and I attended The Sound of Music Sing-Along at the National WWII Museum. The Sound of Music is one of my mom’s favorite movies, I had never seen the entire movie in one sitting, and Mr. Nola Nerd had never seen the movie at all! So we decided to experience the Sing-Along. Who knew it would be so much fun!

First, we were way underdressed, meaning we did not dress in costume. Not only did people dress as the main characters, they also dressed as whimsical aspects of the movies, such as brown paper packages tied up with strings, marionettes, nuns, groups with shirts do-re-mi…, etc. During their part of the movie they would either stand up in their seats or go to the stage. I was blown away by the creativity and intricacy of some of the costumes. But the homemade ones were just as lovely, because they showed how beloved The Sound of Music is still today. We had a fabulous time loudly singing along, checking out the amazing costumes, and laughing at the wonderful hosts. Mr. Nola Nerd said he was glad his first experience with The Sound of Music was such a fun one. Check out a video and some pictures from our experience below!