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| Moviegoers get dressed up and into the swing of things for the Sound Of Music singalong at the State Theatre. Photo: Wolter Peeters |
And at Sing-a-long-a Sound of Music events in Sydney, it is fast becoming an audience favourite too, with one member bringing audience participation to a whole new level.
As Maria makes her way down the long church aisle on screen, Theresa Kompara, decked in her own elaborate tulle and lace wedding dress, slowly walks the aisle of the State Theatre, where hundreds are watching the classic film on the big screen.
Fans of the singalongs look forward to Kompara's performance each year, which usually involves one or two volunteers to hold her train.
"I'm Maria, I come every year," says Kompara, in character at Friday night's screening. "I've come to look for the captain, I think he's upstairs."
Kompara, of Darlinghurst, has been to the singalongs for so many years she no longer watches most of the film. Now she comes for the dress-up competition then heads to a nearby cafe before returning to the theatre for her big moment.
Next month marks 50 years since The Sound of Music hit the screens and Sing-A-Long-A events have helped to bring the classic film to a whole new generation.
It began 17 year ago in London and since then almost 2 million tickets have been sold to 3500 performances globally. Organisers estimate more than 50,000 people have dressed up as nuns.
Nuns far outnumber any other character among those who are dressed up for the Friday night screening. There are girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes and brown paper packages tied up with string among more bizarre offerings, such as the group who have come wearing multicoloured clown wigs and fluro vests with nuclear signs and blueberries attached.
"We're blueberries with hepatitis A," they explain. "You know, because the children lie about eating blueberries in the movie."
Dressed as Maria, host Katrina Retallick judges a dress-up competition and takes the audience through a vocal warm-up. She also explains the contents of a white "fun pack" which each audience member has been given.
"It's full of lots of little goodies like the curtain swatch which we wave and shout "Behind you, behind you" so that Maria will see the curtains and find inspiration for the children's clothes," she says later. "And there's edelweiss, of course, and a party popper for when the captain and Maria kiss."
Retallick says it is no surprise that people come back each year to sing along to the songs, dress up and interact with the movie.
"There are so many elements to this film I think it has everything in it; grand romance, war, cute children and a gorgeous setting in the Austrian Alps. But I think it's Julie Andrews that has held the film over these 50 years, it's her amazing performance."
The crowd thinks so too. Each time Maria appears on screen they cheer.
