Underwood to play Maria von Trapp in NBC's 'Sound'

[December 01, 2012]  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Carrie Underwood will star in NBC's live broadcast of "The Sound of Music" late next year.

A news release says the former "American Idol" champion and Grammy-winning country star will play Maria von Trapp in a live performance based on the musical. It will air around the holidays in 2013. The role is Underwood's most significant work as an actress yet. She played a small part in the 2011 film "Soul Surfer" and has served as co-host of the Country Music Association Awards for five years. In von Trapp, she's tackling a beloved character whose popularity has endured for decades. The Rodgers & Hammerstein musical debuted on Broadway in 1959 and the 1965 film starring Julie Andrews won the best picture Academy Award. ___ Online: http://carrieunderwoodofficial.com/ [Associated Press] For the latest country music news from the Associated Press: http://twitter.com/AP_Country. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.