Sound of Music play?

If you look around the Internet for information on this subject, you'll quickly learn that The Sound of Music was a smash hit in English speaking countries, but was a major bust in Austria. The SOM stuff in Salzburg is for tourists - the locals are happy to profit from the foreign interest, but don't share it. According to this post from The Rodgers And Hammerstein Organization, it wasn't even performed there until 2005 (remember, it premiered on Broadway in 1959, and the movie came out in 1965). And there's some tangled historical reasons why: http://www.rnh.com/news/812/The-Sound-Of-Music-Comes-Home

This isn't a direct answer to your question, but since you live north of Washington State you are in close proximity to a great Sound of Music experience. Leavenworth, WA hosts a summer theater that puts on the Sound of Music every year. The venue is an outdoor ampitheater on a hill. As the play begins the sun is setting in the surrounding mountains. I have attended this performance several times with different groups, and the setting is magical. If you don't already know Leavenworth is a tourist town created to look like a Bavarian village. It is not the same as going to Europe by any means, but it is a fun weekend trip and there are lots of outdoor activities and shopping available.

Ahhhhh..... That explains the lack of live SOM plays in Salzburg.... Thanks for clearing that up. I will stop looking.
And thanks also for the tip on the play in Leavenworth -- we have seen it and LOVED it!!

@ Harold ,The piece that you link at the Rodgers and Hammerstein Library is wonderful ! Everyone should read it !!