BY JESSE SCOTT

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Do you hear that sound?

It's the sound of leaves changing, the Virginia weather gently turning brisk and families preparing to gather around the fireplace.

It's the sound of everyone coming together.

There is no better complement to this beautiful time of year than "The Sound of Music."

The Broadway classic, which opened on Saturday, will reside at Riverside Dinner Theater, Wednesdays through Sundays, through Jan. 6, 2013.

"It's a chance to experience the joy of music and the joy of ["The Sound of Music's"] songs," said Rollin Wehman, general manager, artistic director and founder of Riverside Dinner Theater. He is also the director of Riverside's rendition of "The Sound of Music." "Whether you've heard the songs one time or a thousand times, you will find joy through the magic of our show."

From "My Favorite Things" to "Do-Re-Mi" to "Edelweiss," "The Sound of Music" is loaded with musical classics that have been cherished for the last 50-plus years. The beloved musical has been a hit on Broadway and in London, and in 1965 was morphed into a blockbuster Academy Award-winning film starring Julie Andrews.

The plot follows budding nun Maria Rainer as she is assigned to take care of the seven children of the widower Capt. Georg von Trapp in Salzburg, Austria.

Along her roller coaster journey with the seven von Trapp children, Maria goes from the misfit caretaker who is gently teased by her nun colleagues to a beloved governess who finds genuine love with Capt. von Trapp.

At the heart of the Riverside production are two casts of von Trapp children and an incredibly gifted group of nuns. The two groups of children will alternate nights throughout the season.

"The children are endearing and spontaneous. The kids really do run the spontaneity of the show, and it is wonderful," said Patrick A'Hearn, associate artistic director of Riverside Dinner Theater. "Our group of nuns is also just terrific, and their voices are beautiful."

"Of the 11 nuns in our cast, three are choral directors, two are drama directors and almost all of them are heavily involved in artistic endeavors," added Wehman. "They all know how to sing. My primary job has been to get them singing in a matching blend."