ONE of the greatest musicals of all time The Sound of Music returns to the stage in a magnificent new production coming to Mayflower Theatre from January 21 to 31.

Playing Maria von Trapp is Danielle Hope, who captured the hearts of the country when she won BBC TV’s Over the Rainbow and made her professional debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium.

Danielle has since played Eponine in Les Misérables in London’s West End and Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Joining the company as Captain von Trapp is much-loved stage and television star Steven Houghton, well-known for his long-standing television roles in Coronation Street and London’s Burning.

The Olivier-Award nominated actor has taken on leading roles in Spend Spend Spend, Blood Brothers, White Christmas, Martin Guerre and Grease.

Produced by Bill Kenwright, directed by Martin Connor, choreographed by Olivier Award winner Bill Deamer, musical direction by David Steadman, the new staging of the classic musical coincides with the 50th anniversary of the film version – the most successful movie musical in history.

It all began with the story of the Trapp Family Singers and Baroness Maria von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, which inspired Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse to create a Broadway musical in 1959.

The Sound of Music tells the true story of the world-famous singing family, from their romantic beginnings and search for happiness, to their thrilling escape to freedom as their beloved Austria becomes part of the Third Reich at the start of the Second World War.

Joining Danielle and Steven are West End stars Jan Hartley (Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story) and Sarah Soetaert (Chicago) who will play the Mother Abbess and Baroness Elsa Schrader, respectively, with Howard Samuels as Max, Grace Chapman as Liesl, Luke George as Rolf, Kate Milner Evans as Frau Schmidt and Martin Dickinson as Admiral Von Schreiber.

Tickets are on sale now on 02380 711811 or at mayflower.org.uk.