This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the cultural impact of The Sound of Music and considers how the stage musical has been refracted through different media, at different times and in different places to effect different meanings. It explains the musical as part of the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon and looks at the ways in which The Sound of Music has become a cultural icon. The book describes the real story of the von Trapps and the adaptation process in the creation of the original. It focuses on the success of the movie and the way in which it has influenced later stage productions. The book also considers the ways in which the musical changed the profile of children in musical theatre and looks at the development of a whole subgenre of contemporary musicals where children stand centre stage.