Nothing but Praises for “South Pacific”
Tickets for this remake of James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific have been backordered for months in anticipation of a great Broadway musical. I think it’s safe to say every member of the audience got the “bang for their buck.” From the opening scene, Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” steal the show. With a combination of superb acting and breathtaking musical numbers, the characters of Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque seem to jump off the stage and into the eyes, ears, and hearts of the audience. It was as if O’Hara had been playing the role of this Little Rock ensign all her life. Times of peril and love both plague and strengthen this small town girl as she battles an interior conflict of racism and discrimination. Szot nails the role of the charming, French plantation owner with a controversial history. This performance landed him the Tony Award for “Best Performance for a Leading Actor in a Musical.” He brings a sense of sophistication along with an accomplished singing voice from his opera background to the already stellar group of actors and actresses. The two characters fall head-over-heels in love with one another and the audience is thrown into a timeless romance fused with the always controversial topics of war and discrimination.
To complement Paulo Szot and Kelli O’Hara’s performances, the characters of Luther Billis, Lieutenant Joe Cable, and Bloody Mary add originality and diversity to the cast. Billis, played by Danny Burnstein, and Bloody Mary, played by Maryann Hu bring vital scenes of comic relief to the controversial themes the play highlights. For example, Bloody Mary’s Pacific accent when she says phrases like “Fo’ Dolla” really made the crowd go wild. Matthew Morrison’s performance of the accomplished, Princeton graduate Lieutenant Joe Cable, raises eyebrows and highlights the already hot topic of interracial relationships during World War II. The acting wasn’t the only thing audiences have to look forward to. Hard-hitting songs such as “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” both shock and enlighten the audience keeping them at the edge of their seats.
Not only pleasing to the ear, “South Pacific” also appeals to the eye as well. Excellent acting and singing is what an audience comes for, but the elaborate sets and scenery are what the audience stays for. Magnificent sets and lighting constructed and orchestrated by Michael Yeargen and Donald Holder, winners of the Tony for “Best Scenic Design for a Musical” and “Best Lighting Design for a Musical” respectively. They truly kept the audience asking for more throughout the entire course of the play. A massive army plane, working showers, and a realistic beach horizon are just a few of these eye-pleasing sights put together by Yeargen. To compliment Yeargen, Donald Holder’s use of different shades and angles of light create realistic scenes of war and tropical settings. One minute the actors were in a lieutenant’s office then suddenly in the midst of a Japanese air raid. Detailed wardrobes of each character ensure the viewer doesn’t forget where the play takes place. Catherine Zuber, winner of the Tony Award for “Best Costume Design for a Musical,” has truly outdone herself.
Thinking back on “South Pacific,” I am unable to find a chink in the chain of this wonderfully developed and directed interpretation of Michener’s novel. I was not surprised to see this musical win “Best Revival of a Musical,” and the numerous other Tony Awards cast and production raked in. South Pacific is definitely a “must-see.”
