The Sound Of Music Live!

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BadNews R Let’s be honest: when NBC launched this idea of reviving classic musicals on live television, the ambition was there, and the concept made sense. Take a beloved musical, give it a modern stage treatment, cast a recognizable star, and reintroduce the material to a new generation. On paper, The Sound of Music Live! had everything lined up to be a success. Unfortunately, like a lot of these live TV musicals, it didn’t quite land the way it was supposed to. Carrie Underwood was the big draw here, and understandably so. She’s one of the most recognizable and talented vocalists of her generation. When she sings, there’s no denying she has the power and presence to captivate an audience. Her voice carried the production, and musically she did what she needed to do. The problem wasn’t with her singing—it never was. Where the criticism comes in is with her acting. Now, it’s fair to say that Underwood isn’t a seasoned actress. She’s a performer, not a Broadway-trained theater star, and that shows in this production. But at the same time, the amount of negativity she got felt unfair. She wasn’t terrible—she just wasn’t at the same level dramatically as Julie Andrews or other trained stage performers who’ve played Maria. The problem wasn’t entirely Carrie; it was the production around her. The staging felt flat. The direction lacked energy. The sets looked like sets instead of living, breathing locations. And while live television has its own unique challenges, there was a stiffness to this show that kept it from ever feeling natural or immersive. Instead of coming across as a fresh take on a beloved classic, it often felt like a high-profile dress rehearsal. That’s why I don’t put the blame solely on Carrie Underwood. She did what she was brought in to do—sing beautifully and bring attention to the show. And she succeeded at that. The issue was the overall creative vision. It didn’t modernize the story in a compelling way, and it didn’t match the magic of either the original Broadway production or the timeless 1965 film. In the end, The Sound of Music Live! is more of a curiosity than a lasting achievement. It deserves credit for kicking off NBC’s live musical experiment, which went on to deliver stronger outings later. But this particular one just didn’t have the spark. Carrie Underwood was fine for what she could do, but the production itself lacked heart and polish, and that’s what made it fall flat. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/14/25 Full Review Stephen C LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/29/24 Full Review Audience Member While Underwood's performance leaves much to be desired, the musical numbers were fantastic, and the rest of the cast more than helps to carry her to the end. A good effort, but I would like to see them try this again. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Funny, original, & full of singing/ dancing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member 3 to 3 and a half. The Sound Of Music Live! Doesnt reach the heights of the original the whole way through and doesnt have the epicness of it all the way through but its still feel good viewing and does have alittle adventure like the original, just shortned. It falls short a bit but they worked hard on this and it is not bad. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Sound Of Music Live!

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