Late fall, 1959. Mary Martin is closing out the decade originating a role in a new Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. R&H haven’t really had a hit since The King and I, but you’re hopeful Mary Martin will bring out their best. The curtain rises on a gaggle of nuns in 1930s Austria singing a prelude before realizing one of their postulates, Maria, is missing. Cut to Martin emerging from a tree and singing the title song. Maria is the impish problem-child of the convent, climbing trees, scraping knees, and singing where she isn’t supposed to. The intimidating Mother Abbess calls Maria into her office for a serious discussion about her suitability for monastic life. She’s about to send Maria to serve as a governess for a widower naval captain’s seven children, which will set off musical’s main story (Nun meets Boy and Boy’s seven children, Nun teaches children to sing, Nun marries boy, and singing family runs away from Nazis). In order to get Maria into the right headspace to face her fears and accept this life-altering assignment, Mother Abbess encourages Maria to sing an old song she had once caught Maria singing in the abbey, eventually joining in herself. (“My Favorite Things”)

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