The hills are alive with “The Sound of Music” as the Edison High School Vocal Music Department stages the classic musical this weekend.

   Curtains will rise in the auditorium on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19 and 20, at 7 p.m. with a matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 2:30 p.m. and a sneak preview for fourth-to-sixth-grade elementary students on Nov. 17.

   The timeless and heartwarming tale, which was the final collaboration between the famous Broadway duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, is based on the true story of the Von Trapp Family Singers amid the horrors of World War II. Young postulant Maria Rainer, a free spirit who has trouble following the rules of Nonnberg Abbey, is commissioned by the Mother Abbess to serve as a governess for seven children and their widowed father, retired Capt. Georg Von Trapp. Instead, she transforms the home from a place of Naval rules to one of joy, laughter and music. In the process, she wins the hearts of the youngsters and the captain himself. She weds Von Trapp and the family soon must deal with the Nazi occupation of Austria and the captain’s assignment to the Nazi Navy. They resolve to escape under the guise of a singing engagement coordinated by friend Max Detweiller and flee into the mountains to the safe haven of Switzerland.

   Leading the cast are Cheyanne Coil as Maria and J.T. Pipo as Capt. Von Trapp with the Von Trapp children featuring Elizabeth Gampolo as Liesl, Ben Willison as Friedrich, Becca Bell as Louisa, Nicholas Kline and Ethan Warren as Kurt, Leila Cable and Paige Somerville as Brigitta, Mimi Ault as Marta and Mayelee Rawson as Gretl. Rounding out the performers are Travis Rose as Max Detweiller, Mychi Stewart as Elsa Schrader, Abigail Kinney as Mother Abbess, Jordan Hughes as Sister Berthe, Maddie Somerville as Sister Margaretta, Katie Yohman as Sister Sophia, Kyle Martin as Franz, Bayleigh Gump as Frau Schmidt, Gage Cable as Herr Zeller and Shane Smith as Rolf Gruber.

  Ensemble members include Eli Layman, Paige Furbee, Sydney Frampton, Natalie Johns, Malayna Bright, Gillian Kate Libaton, Raelin Crimm, Maddie Granatir, Brenna Leggitt, Alexis Pruitt, Katie Phillips, Faith Bell, Kylee Leishman, Madison Grimm, Kira Anderson, Oktober Cope, Mariah Biehl, Gracie Dray, Alison Kireta, Lillyann Montgomery, Gwendolyn Stine, Maddie Householder, Navaeh Hunter, Bristol Leanza, Abigail Carpenter, Kassidy Dillon, Kayla Koehnlein, Ashlyn Pinkerton, Kenzie Everhart, Whitney Streblo, Myah Howell, Olivia Ault, McKinley Carr and Dominic Crimm.

   EHS Vocal Music Director Greg Hofmeister is directing the production with Anna Wadas and Jenna Kelley as student director assistants and Kathryn Maille as stage manager. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and $5 for students and children with proceeds going to the music department. Hofmeister said they are available at the door but also can be reserved. Ticket forms are located in the school office and attendants may give cash or checks made payable to the Edison Vocal Music Boosters and place them in an envelope. Their tickets may then be picked up at the door.