For other uses, see South Pacific

South Pacific
Original Cast Recording
Music	Richard Rodgers
Lyrics	Oscar Hammerstein II
Book	Oscar Hammerstein II Joshua Logan
Based upon	Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener
Productions	1949 Broadway 1951 West End 1958 Film 2001 U.S. Television 2002 West End revival 2005 Carnegie Hall Concert 2008 Broadway Revival planned
Awards	Pulitzer Prize for Drama Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award Composer and Lyricist Tony Award for Best Author

South Pacific is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical (music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), with a book by both Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story is based on two short stories by James A. Michener from his book Tales of the South Pacific, which was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. The musical was itself awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. The issue of racial prejudice was sensitively and candidly explored, particularly for a 1949 work. James Michener claimed he was pressured to ask Rodgers and Hammerstein to remove the song You've Got to Be Carefully Taught because of its biting comments about racial prejudice. This article is about the 1958 film . ... The South Pacific is an area in the southern Pacific Ocean. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the American composer. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... Joshua Logan (1908-1988), a director and writer, was best known for Broadway and Hollywood shows such as Mister Roberts, Picnic, and South Pacific. ... Tales of the South Pacific is a collection of Pulitzer Prize winning short stories written by James A. Michener in 1946. ... James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907? - October 16, 1997) was the American author of such books as Tales of the South Pacific (for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948), Hawaii, The Drifters, Centennial, The Source, The Fires of Spring, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, Texas, and Poland. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the 1958 film . ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Rodgers & Hammersteins South Pacific, is a television production, directed by Richard Pearce in 2001. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (common) era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... A revival is a restaging of a former hit play at a later date. ... The Pulitzer Prize for Drama was first awarded in 1918. ... // 1940s 1949 Kiss Me, Kate - Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. ... The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. ... The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is the Tony awarded to the librettist(s) of the musical. ... Rodgers (left) and Hammerstein (right), with Irving Berlin (middle) and Helen Tamiris, watching auditions at the St. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... This article is about the American composer. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... Joshua Logan (1908-1988), a director and writer, was best known for Broadway and Hollywood shows such as Mister Roberts, Picnic, and South Pacific. ... James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907? - October 16, 1997) was the American author of such books as Tales of the South Pacific (for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948), Hawaii, The Drifters, Centennial, The Source, The Fires of Spring, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, Texas, and Poland. ... Tales of the South Pacific is a collection of Pulitzer Prize winning short stories written by James A. Michener in 1946. ... The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been awarded since 1948 for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. ... See also: 1947 in literature, other events of 1948, 1949 in literature, list of years in literature. ... The Pulitzer Prize for Drama was first awarded in 1918. ... See also: 1949 in literature, other events of 1950, 1951 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Youve Got to Be Carefully Taught is a popular song from the musical South Pacific written by Richard Rodgers (music), and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). ...

South Pacific is generally considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time^[1][2] Several of its songs, including "Bali Ha'i," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger than Springtime," and "A Wonderful Guy" have become worldwide standards. South Pacific is the only musical ever to have won all four Tony Awards for acting. It was nominated for nine Tonys and won all of them. Bali Hai, or sometimes spelled Bali Hai, is a song (by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) from the musical South Pacific (1949 on Broadway, 1958 as a movie). ... Some Enchanted Evening is a popular song from the musical South Pacific, written by Richard Rodgers (music), and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). ... What is popularly called the Tony Award® but is formally the Antoinette Perry Award is an annual American award celebrating achievements in theater, including musical theater. ...

Productions

Original Broadway production

The musical opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, at the Majestic Theatre, moving to the Broadway Theatre in June 1953. It was produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein in association with Leland Hayward and Joshua Logan, and directed by Logan. It ran for more than five years and 1,925 performances. At the time it closed on January 16, 1954, it was the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history.^[3] The original cast starred Mary Martin as the heroine, Nellie Forbush, and opera star Ezio Pinza as the French plantation owner, Emile de Becque. Also in the cast were Juanita Hall and Betta St. John. Although Forbush and De Beque were already fully developed characters in Michener's stories, at some point during the creation of South Pacific, Rodgers, Hammerstein and Logan came to have both Martin and Pinza specifically in mind for these two roles. Martin shared with Ethel Merman the status of being the leading Broadway musical comedienne of the era; Pinza was a well-known opera singer. The subsequent music, and its presentation within the show, was therefore tailored for the voices of Martin and Pinza. For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Majestic Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 245 West 44th Street in Manhattan, New York City. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Leland Hayward (September 13, 1902 - March 18, 1971) was a popular, powerful and wealthy Hollywood and Broadway agent and theatrical producer. ... Joshua Logan (1908-1988), a director and writer, was best known for Broadway and Hollywood shows such as Mister Roberts, Picnic, and South Pacific. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mary Virginia Martin (b. ... Ezio Pinza The Italian bass Ezio Pinza (18 May 1892 - 9 May 1957) was one of the outstanding opera singers of the first half of the 20th century. ... Juanita Hall (born November 6, 1901, died February 28, 1968, Bay Shore, New York) was the first African American to win a Tony Award, for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Bloody Mary in the musical South Pacific in 1950. ... Betta St. ... Ethel Merman (January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was a Tony Award winning star of stage and film musicals, well known for her powerful voice and vocal range. ...

Original West End production

London's West End production ran from 1951 to 1953 at the Drury Lane Theatre. It starred Mary Martin and Ivor Emmanuel. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... Currently home to Lord Of The Rings, the musical. ... Ivor Emmanuel Born 1927 in Pontrhydyfen, Port Talbot Opera star who led the rendition of Men of Harlech in the film Zulu Ivor used to carry a wind-up gramophone up nearby mountains to listen to records of Enrico Caruso. ...

2005 Carnegie Hall concert

McIntire, Mitchell and Baldwin, 2005 concert DVD cover

On June 9, 2005, a concert version of the musical, edited down to two hours but including all of the songs and the full musical score, was presented live at Carnegie Hall. It starred Reba McEntire as Nellie Forbush, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Emile, Alec Baldwin as Luther Billis, and Lillias White as Bloody Mary. The stars had a full supporting cast. The production used Robert Russell Bennett's original orchestrations. This production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer and one of the best-selling country music performers of all time. ... Brian Stokes Mitchell (b. ... Alexander Rae Alec Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by The Cure, see Concert (album). ... Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955) is a Grammy award winning American singer and country music performer, and actress. ... Brian Stokes Mitchell (b. ... Alexander Rae Alec Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. ... Lillias White on the poster for the Sydney production of her one-woman show Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an award-winning American singer and actress. ... For other men named Robert Bennett, see Robert Bennett (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

2002 West End revival

The Royal National Theatre (Olivier Theatre) in London staged a limited run of the musical in 2002 timed to celebrate the centenary of Richard Rodgers' birth. This production was directed by Trevor Nunn, with musical staging by Matthew Bourne and designs by John Napier. Nellie was performed by Lauren Kennedy and Emile was performed by the Australian actor Philip Quast. ^[4] The Royal National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge The Royal National Theatre is a building complex and theatre company located on the South Bank in London, England immediately east of the southern end of Waterloo Bridge. ... Sir Trevor King (born 14 January 1940) is a loser and film director. ... This article is about a British ballet and dance choreographer. ... For other people with the same name, see John Napier (disambiguation). ... Lauren Kennedy is an actress and a singer who has most recently been seen in Monty Pythons Spamalot on Broadway. ...

2007-08 UK Tour

A major new touring production of South Pacific opened in the UK at the Blackpool Grand Theatre on the August 28, 2007. The tour is expected to finish at the Cardiff New Theatre in July 2008. The tour stars Helena Blackman as Nellie and Dave Willetts as Emile. The tour is produced by Peter Frosdick and Martin Dodd for UK Productions. The production is directed by Julian Woolford, with choreography by Chris Hocking. This production was most noted for it's staging of the overture which charted Nellie's journey from Little Rock to the South Pacific. On entering the theatre, the audience first saw a map of the USA, not the theater of war. ^[5] Blackpool Grand Theatre is probably the oldest and best-known theatre in the town of Blackpool, England. ... is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The New Theatre (Welsh: Theatr Newydd although it usually uses its English name as a title) is one of the principal theatres in Cardiff, Wales. ... Helena Blackman (born 1983 in Southampton) is a British musical theatre actress best known for being the runner-up in the BBC1 Reality TV programme How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting. ... Dave Willetts (born June 24th 1952 is a British singer and actor known for having leading roles in West End musicals. ...

Scheduled Broadway revival

A revival is scheduled to open at Lincoln Center on Broadway in March 2008 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.^[6] Kelli O'Hara is expected to play Nellie. The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theatre at the Lincoln Center. ... Kelli OHara (born April 16, 197?) is an American actress and singer. ...

Recording

Columbia Records recorded the overture and most of the songs from the original production in 1949, using members of the cast including Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin. Drawn from the original masters, Columbia released the album in both the new LP format and on 78-rpm discs. When Sony acquired Columbia, a CD was released from the previously unused magnetic tape recording from the same 1949 sessions in New York City. Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... Ezio Pinza The Italian bass Ezio Pinza (18 May 1892 - 9 May 1957) was one of the outstanding opera singers of the first half of the 20th century. ... Mary Virginia Martin (b. ...

Synopsis

On a South Pacific island during World War II, a U.S. Navy nurse from Arkansas, Ensign Nellie Forbush, falls in love with a middle-aged French plantation owner, Emile de Becque. For other uses, see Oceania (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... USN redirects here. ...

Meanwhile, the restless U.S. Navy sailors, led by the entrepreneurial Seabee Luther Billis, lament the absence of women or combat to relieve their boredom. Lieutenant Joe Cable of the U.S. Marine Corps arrives on the island to take part in a dangerous spy mission that might help turn the tide of the war against Japan. Since only officers can sign out boats, Billis convinces Lt. Cable to accompany him to the mysterious and valuable island of Bali Ha'i. There Bloody Mary, the native souvenir dealer, introduces Cable to her teenage daughter, Liat. The two fall in love. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... This article is about the Seabee naval unit. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... see main article South Pacific (musical) Bloody Mary is a character from the musical and film South Pacific. ...

The two couples -- Nellie and Emile, Liat and Joe -- gain deepening affection, and marriages are proposed. But Nellie has deep-seated ethnic prejudices, and Emile is a widower with biracial children from his marriage to a Polynesian wife. Nellie, torn between her long-held Arkansas prejudice and her heartfelt love for Emile, hesitates to marry Emile. And Joe refuses to marry Liat because she is Polynesian. Joe's refusal infuriates Mary. Though aware of and ashamed of their bigotry, Nellie and Joe are prisoners of their upbringings: they think they have no options.

Dejected and with nothing to lose, Emile agrees to join Joe on his dangerous mission behind Japanese lines. The two successfully send back reports on enemy forces. The Americans use this information to intercept and destroy Japanese convoys. "Operation Alligator" gets underway, and the previously idle sailors, including the reluctant Luther Billis, go off to battle. Joe is killed; Emile narrowly escapes a similar fate. Emile returns home to the now-understanding Nellie and his -- soon to be their -- children.

Songs

Additional songs

• "Loneliness of Evening" - sung by Emile, was in the original score but was cut before the first Broadway production. It is, however, on some LP versions, and was also sung by the Prince (Stuart Damon) in the 1965 production of Cinderella.
• "Girl Back Home" - also called My Girl Back Home, sung by Lieutenant Cable, was in the original score but was cut before the first Broadway production. Still, it is on some LP versions and is in the movie version.
• Some LP versions feature a track of Ezio Pinza singing "Bali Hai", but he did not sing it in the stage version; neither was it written for his character in the show (Emile de Becque) to sing. "Loneliness of Evening" and "My Girl Back Home" were recorded by Mary Martin, backed by Percy Faith's Orchestra, and released as a single in 1951. On some later CD versions of the cast album these two songs are included as bonus tracks along with "Bali Ha'i," sung by Ezio Pinza.

Overture (French ouverture, meaning opening) in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral or, occasionally, instrumental composition. ... Some Enchanted Evening is a popular song from the musical South Pacific, written by Richard Rodgers (music), and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). ... There is Nothing Like a Dame is one of the songs from the famous South Pacific . It is sung by the sailiors (e. ... Bali Hai, or sometimes spelled Bali Hai, is a song (by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) from the musical South Pacific (1949 on Broadway, 1958 as a movie). ... (Im in Love with) a Wonderful Guy is a popular song. ... (Im in Love with) a Wonderful Guy is a popular song. ... Entracte is French for between the acts. It can have the meaning of a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonym to intermission, but is more often used to indicate that part of a theatre production that is performed between acts as an intermezzo or interlude. ... Happy Talk is a popular song. ... Youve Got to Be Carefully Taught is a popular song from the musical South Pacific written by Richard Rodgers (music), and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). ... Some Enchanted Evening was the thirteenth non short Simpsons episode released on television. ... Stuart Damon (born Stuart Michael Zonis on February 5, 1937) is an American actor. ... Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella is the name of a musical written for television by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II based upon the fairy tale, Cinderella. ... Percy Faith (April 7, 1908 – February 9, 1976) was a band-leader, orchestrator and composer, known for his arrangements of standard tunes with lush string sections and female chorus vocal and wordless. ...

Film and television versions

2001: Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

South Pacific was made into a 1958 film of the same name that topped the box office that year, and the 65 mm Todd-AO cinematography (by Leon Shamroy) was nominated for an Academy Award. The film was also nominated for and won the music-adaptation-and-sound award. Image File history File links South_Pacific. ... Image File history File links South_Pacific. ... Rodgers & Hammersteins South Pacific, is a television production, directed by Richard Pearce in 2001. ... // Events February 16- In the Money is released on this date. ... This article is about the 1958 film . ... Todd-AO was a widescreen film format developed in the mid 1950s. ... Leon Shamroy (July 16, 1901 – July 7, 1974) was an American film cinematographer. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ...

An elaborate television production of the show was made in 2001. It starred Glenn Close and Harry Connick Jr.. This version omitted the well-known song "Happy Talk" and cut "Bali Hai" in half, among other changes. The film was criticized because it changed the order of the songs and because Rade Šerbedžija, unlike all the previous Emiles, did not have an operatic singing voice. Also, the character of Nellie Forbush was conceived as a young and inexperienced woman fresh out of nursing school, in military service. Glenn Close was felt by many to be too old to play the role of someone who describes herself in song as "immature and incurably green." Rodgers & Hammersteins South Pacific, is a television production, directed by Richard Pearce in 2001. ... Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is a five-time Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actress. ... Harry Connick, Jr. ... Rade Å erbedžija (Serbian Cyrillic: Раде Шербеџија, occasionally credited as Rade Sherbedgia in some English-language productions), born 27 July 1947, is a Croatian actor and director. ...

Cultural references

The 1954 film Men of the Fighting Lady, set during the Korean War and also based on material written by James A. Michener, has a prologue where Michener (played in the film by Louis Calhern) is introduced to a Navy flight surgeon. The surgeon comments, "Mr. Michener, I fought in the South Pacific in World War II, but I never realized how much fun it had been until I read your book!" Michener replies, "I never realized how much fun it was either, until Rodgers and Hammerstein set it to music!" Louis Calhern (February 19, 1895 - May 12, 1956) was an American stage and screen actor. ...

References

1. ^ Critic John Simon writes: "Many are the knowledgeable and discriminating people for whom Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, brilliantly co-written and staged by Joshua Logan, was the greatest musical of all." ]
2. ^ "With South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein rose to new towering heights of success, both commercially and artistically, following their triumphs with Oklahoma! and Carousel.... The veteran producer Arthur Hammerstein called it the greatest musical show Broadway had ever seen, perfect in every respect. The critic Richard Watts, Jr., described it as "a thrilling and exultant musical play, an utterly captivating work of theatrical art."
3. ^ The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1966, page 137
4. ^ http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/South%20Pacific+135.twl National Theatre archive
5. ^ http://arts.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1343914.php/U.K_tour_of_South_Pacific_opens_today monstersandcritics article on South Pacific UK tour
6. ^ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111501.html playbill article on revival, Oct. 1, 2007

Sources

The World Almanac and Book of Facts, New York, 1966, New York World-Telegram The New York World-Telegram was formed by the 1931 sale of the New York World by the heirs of Joseph Pulitzer to Scripps Howard, owners since 1927 of the Evening Telegram. ...

External links

• Internet Broadway Database listing
• R&H Theatricals