It’s been 50 years since governess Maria and the von Trapp family captivated audiences with The Sound Of Music -- and now, the musical production of the 1965 classic will once again come to life when it kicks off its national tour in Sydney this December.
The cast sees Cameron Daddo return home from Los Angeles to take up the role of Captain Georg von Trapp alongside exciting new talent, Amy Lehpamer who will play Maria Rainer.
Speaking to The Huffington Post on Tuesday, Daddo revealed the moment Australian producer John Frost had called to gauge his interest in the role.
"I’ve worked with John Frost several times and when he rang he just had to say the words 'The Sound Of Music' and I was in," Daddo said.
Despite growing up with the music from the iconic film, it was only up until a few years ago he’d watched it in its entirety.
“I slipped through the cracks a bit because I was born the year the film came out and technology was different back then,” Daddo said.
“We had a little black and white TV that was a foot square that sat in the corner of a big room -- so to watch a movie like The Sound Of Music was kind of lost.”
Since returning to Australia with his family after a 25-year stint in Los Angeles, Daddo said he and wife Alison Brahe were still undecided as to whether or not the move will be permanent.
“The kids were definitely excited to move to Australia for a few months but we haven’t made the decision yet -- this is more like a test period,” Daddo said.
Currently, Daddo broadcasts his Smooth FM nightly radio show out of a studio in his LA home but the move will see him work out of the offices in Sydney.
Cameron Daddo as Captain von Trapp and Amy Lehpamer as Maria Rainer
“We’ve still got our home over there and the kids are still enrolled in schools -- it’s been our life for 25 years so it’s a hard one to just pick up and leave,” Daddo said.
As to whether his parenting style bears any resemblance to his character made famous by Christopher Plummer -- Daddo admits his wife and kids wouldn’t have a bar of him if that was the case.
“He runs his family and affairs like he is in command of a submarine, but that’s how he is surviving and he’s quite proud of that fact,” Daddo said.
“He is strict but there are reasons behind it -- and that’s what I’m diving into in terms of character development.”
A pivotal moment in the production -- and one Daddo admits has grown to be his favourite is the scene where the children come home filthy and dressed in curtains.
“If there’s one way to make a man upset -- publicly humiliate him,” Daddo said.
“He’s publicly humiliated by what this woman has allowed his children to do and that scene for me hits a critical mass in terms of the relationship between him and Maria as a governess,” Daddo said.
“He’s clearly got a lot on his mind but then there is the realisation when the children come down singing -- he realises that he has made mistakes too,” Daddo said.