There has never been a time when I haven’t seen The Sound of Music. I watched it on repeat throughout my childhood, transfixed by the beautiful music, the seven children (yes, but seven!), the gorgeous scenery, and, of course, my surrogate childhood nanny, Julie Andrews. I’ve been to Sing-a-long Sound of Music and cheered Maria, booed the Nazis, waved my edelweiss, and roared with laughter at the hilariously inappropriate, “Maria, what is it you can’t face?”. I have watched every Oprah “Where Are They Now?” special, gobbled up all the trivia tidbits, and listened to the audio commentary. With delight, I have sat with a new generation watching Maria twirl on the mountain and become entranced as they too learn their do, rei, mi’s.

Lawrence Downes recently suggested that The Sound of Music is due for a remake, arguing that the successful recent revivals of Oklahoma and South Pacific demonstrate how old shows can be made new again. The Sound of Music doesn’t need to be revived or made new. The original 1965 film still resonates with audiences today, as evidenced by the on-going popularity of Sing-a-long Sound of Music events around the world, the hype around the 50th anniversary, and the horrified reaction to The Sound of Music Live on NBC. 

Yes, clearly Sound of Music is one of my favorite things. And my belief is this: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If Maria taught me anything, it’s that if God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window. Instead of remaking what doesn’t need to be remade, I’d like to offer a few things producers can do with all the moolah for such a project. 

Things to Do Instead of Remaking The Sound of Music

1. Film Broadway musicals for distribution at cinemas or online. Recently an eager fan was slammed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony Award winning composer and star of In the Heights, for illegally seeking a pirated copy of his newest production Hamilton. I’m so enthralled by filmed live musicals, I wrote my Masters Thesis on them. There is a solid market for filmed live musicals. High quality recordings are valuable not just for entertainment, but for education, and archival preservation. The Met Opera, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and Digital Theatre are just three models proving the success of live theatre on screen.
2. Invest in recording regional productions. Broadway may be the capital of live theatre in the USA, but there is plenty of wonderful work being produced beyond the Great White Way. Same deal for entertainment, education, archival preservation applies. 
3. Invest in school arts programs. Many schools are facing drastic budget cuts and the first subjects and extra curricular programs to go are from the arts. There is a mountain of evidence (also here) that shows that participating in art, drama, and music programs develops many skills. Students learn problem solving, interpersonal skills, self-expression, and develop a sense of place and belonging.
4. Provide scholarships for students to attend music and theatre camps. Every summer many camps in and around New York provide stimulating and enriching music and theatre programs. Programs such as Buck's Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp (full disclosure, I’ve been working at Buck’s Rock since 2008), A Broader Way and French Woods all provide quality access to music, theatre, and the creative arts. 
5. Fund performing arts travel scholarships. Scholarships to help school groups travel to see professional theatre. Bring school groups from overseas to America. Take groups abroad. Cross-cultural understanding and friendships make the world a better place, and maybe even prevent conflicts. 
6. Fund music programs for refugees. Music has a powerful capacity for healing, helping with stress relief, and providing hope. The true life story of The Sound of Music is about a family of talented musicians who fled war in Europe, came to the USA for a better life, and opened a music camp in Vermont. What better way to honor the Von Trapp legacy than by helping people who have fled war?

So dear powers that be, producers, directors, writers, and guardians of the Rogers and Hammerstein estate, please, please, do not remake The Sound of Music. Consider doing something good instead.

I’m feeling utterly despondent 
Feeling like this will never end 
I’m tired
So lethargic all I can do is lie on the couch 
My heart races
Even when all I’ve done is sat up
My mood dips lower and lower and I don’t want to be around anyone 
Do anything 
I’m sick of the check-ups 
I’m sick of needles and blood work 
I’m sick of the cocktail of pills 
And the hormone replacement patch 
I’m sick of being sick 
I’m sick of getting better
I just want to be well. 

My hair fell out
My nails fell off
The skin on my legs is scarred and ugly 
Now my thyroid is done
Radiated into uselessness by the treatment 
Affecting my energy
My mood 
Time to start a thyroid hormone replacement 
To replace what was taken away by the cancer
Something completely out of my control
Random chance

Sometimes I feel like
Leukemia has taken everything away
My ability to travel
My ability to work
My ability to function 
Sometimes even my will to live
Why didn’t I deny treatment in those early days? 
Let the leukemia wreak its havoc
A few days of pain and drifting off into 
Morphine euphoria 
Is surely better than this?

They say a vegetarian diet reduces your risk of cancer 
Eating organic foods reduces your risk of cancer 
Using mineral based make-up reduces your risk of cancer 
Exercising regularly reduces your risk of cancer
Meditating reduces your risk of cancer 
Reciting affirmations and dealing with grief 
And healing your pain body 
Reduces your risk of cancer 
I did all these things
For almost a decade
Before I got cancer 

Was I given a drug
As a premmie baby 
That changed my cells
So that thirty years later 
Something would trigger them
To start attacking me? 

Was it the fact that we lived on a highway
And my bedroom window faced the road
And every morning at 6am
I’d be up running along that highway
Training for the school cross country 
Breathing in the car fumes 
And running 
Straight to a leukemia diagnosis 
Fifteen years later? 

Was it the year of intense stress
The year before diagnosis? 
Waiting for that goddamn visa
Living in limbo 
Neither here, nor there
My life on hold 
Waiting for a piece of paper? 

Why the hell did this happen?
What is the universe trying to teach me?
Patience? Humility? Life sucks so get used to? 
How does a healthy 29 year old 
Who exercises regularly 
Eats a mostly organic vegetarian diet 
Hasn’t needed a doctor in almost five years 
Get effing cancer? 
Why is my own blood rebelling against me? 

Medicine has repeatedly told me 
It was genetic roulette
And sheer bad luck
The cells mutated 
It wasn’t my fault  
There is nothing I could have done
Should have done
Differently. 

And now I’m healing 
My sister’s bone marrow 
Overtaking my own 
My immune system learning to cope again 
Can’t be in crowded spaces
Can’t ride the subway
Can’t eat take out 
Definitely can’t go to Broadway 
And I want to know what I can do
To make it better
Speed the process along
Give me hope that I have some control over what is happening in my life

There must be something I can do?
Eat better? 
Eat tomatoes. They attack cancer cells.
Don’t eat canned tomatoes. They have BPA and they’ll give you cancer. 
Eat berries. They fight cancer cells.
Don’t eat berries. They can’t be washed well and pose a risk to your immune system. 
Eat mushrooms. They conquer cancer. 
Don’t eat mushrooms. They are linked to candida which may be linked to cancer. 

The doctor says it’s just time
Diet won’t help. 
For years
I’ve been an advocate of organic
And fresh and local and 
I don’t know who to believe any more
There are so many different types of cancer 
So many carcinogens
So many possible causes
We really just don’t know 

I try to remind myself
It’s not permanent 
I will get better 
My chances are good
Try not to be afraid of 
Relapse or 
Secondary cancer, a result of the treatment
I try not to get upset at the people with cancer 
Who make it seem like such a blessing
And a blast
Look at the wigs I get to wear! Look how my life has changed for the better since I got cancer! Look at how I’m inspirationally dealing with LIFE! 

I have never been one to live in fear
But now I am demoralized 
And feeling stuck
And tired
And utterly miserable 
And my own goddamn blog
Breathe just breathe
Becomes an ironic call to myself
It’s all you can do
Just keep breathing
Even when it hurts
Even when your heart is pounding
Even when the darkness overtakes you 
And your brain tells you
It’s never going to get better 

Fuck you cancer
You are not welcome here. 

** I just want to reassure you that I am receiving excellent care. I have an amazing team of doctors, nurse practitioners, and specialists, who are working with me to ensure I have the best care and outcomes. The support shown by friends and family has been astonishing, and I couldn’t get through this without you. Sometimes, I just need to vent the pain, anger, frustration and depression. I’m getting additional help so I can cope. Thanks for reading. x