Simon Shepherd withdraws from The Sound of Music

Simon Shepherd withdraws from The Sound of Music

Simon Shepherd has withdrawn from The Sound of Music.

A statement on behalf of the production said: "Following the first two previews of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 November, Simon Shepherd, director Jeremy Sams and producers Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian agreed that his performance as Captain Von Trapp was not working within the production and therefore he has withdrawn from the show.

The opening (press night) will continue to go ahead at the London Palladium on 15 Nov 2006 with Connie Fisher, winner of reality show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, in the lead role of 'Maria'.

The Sound of Music has music by Richard Rodgers, lyric Oscar Hammerstein II, Book by Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse, suggested by 'The Trapp Family Singers' by Maria Augusta Trapp

Produced by David Ian, The Really Useful Group (Andrew Lloyd Webber) and Live Nation, it is directed by Jeremy Sams, designed by Robert Jones, lighting by Mark Henderson , choreography by Arlene Phillips, sound by Mick Potter and musical supervision by Simon Lee.

The score for The Sound of Music includes My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, The Lonely Goatherd and of course the title song The Sound of Music.