Richard Chamberlain, star of the touring The Sound of Music, will check into the Golden Gate Theatre May 2-14. Starring with him in Music is Meg Tolin as Maria Rainer, with whom he first performed in My Fair Lady. Tolin also appeared in both the Toronto and Broadway productions of Show Boat, and in Tommy Tune's Grand Hotel.

Music is directed by Susan H. Schulman, whose past credits include the Tony Award-winning The Secret Garden and Circle in the Square's revival of Sweeney Todd. The rest of the creative team includes Heidi Ettinger (sets), Paul Gallo (lights), Catherine Zuber (costumes), and Tony Meola (sound).

This will be one of the last times to catch Chamberlain in the role. Chamberlain played the part for a time on Broadway and has been on the road since Aug. 24, 1999. Corbin Bernsen will be the new Captain von Trapp in the touring production, beginning in Toronto in September and continuing to such cities as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, San Antonio and Milwaukee.

Bernsen, best known for his role as sleazy divorce lawyer Arnie Becker on "L.A. Law," replaces Richard Chamberlain.

Bernsen's theatre work includes the Off-Broadway production of Lone Star and a touring company of Plaza Suite. With music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, The Sound of Music is arguably the world's most popular musical, having run for 1,443 performances on Broadway and become the most successful movie musical of all time.

Tickets are $17-$69.50. The Golden Gate is located at 1 Taylor Street in San Francisco. For more information, call (415) 512-7770, or consult the website at www.bestofbroadway-sf.com.

--By Robert Simonson