Lloyd Webber has been planning to mount a revival of The Sound of Music since late 2000. Originally rumors swirled that Maria Friedman currently on Broadway in Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White would be the show's leading lady, but that buzz faded away within a year. When reports of the production surfaced again in 2002, Lloyd Webber said he hoped to find an unknown ingénue for the role. Recently American film star Scarlett Johansson was rumored for Maria. No actress has ever been officially announced.
The Sound of Music, which features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is one of the most enduring musicals ever. The show's original Broadway mounting earned it the Best Musical Tony Award, and the film based on the stage show won a 1965 Academy Award for Best Picture. The plot centers on Maria, a free-spirited governess, who wins over the rebellious von Trapp children and their stern father.
This revival of The Sound of Music is eyeing a fall 2006 opening at the London Palladium Theatre.