From the moment Mark Hanson raises his baton to start the overture for “South Pacific,” you know you are in for a truly enchanted evening. Although 65 years old, “South Pacific’s” music is ageless, with a love story that has a simple delicate message from a more innocent time, and a thread of morality and a sense of what is right and wrong running through like a gentle brook. You know you are in for a fine evening of entertainment when the overture becomes an unforgettable moment.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s magnificent score for “South Pacific” was one of the greatest achievements in their 17-year collaboration. More than half the songs have become solid standards. Even this generation recognize “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bali Ha’i,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “Happy Talk,” “A Wonderful Guy,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair” and “There Is Nothing Like A Dame.” These songs bring back nostalgic warm memories for most of us that have survived the late ’40s and ’50s. Winning eight Tony Awards and just about every other award offered in the 48-49 Broadway season—including the Pulitzer Prize for drama—”South Pacific” is the main crown jewel in musical theatre.
It is taken from two stories from James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize book “Tales of The South Pacific,” which includes a collection of stories about military life in the Pacific during World War II. “South Pacific” tells the tale of the love of a young, optimistic, innocent Navy nurse from Arkansas and a mature French planter on an idyllic island in the South Pacific. The plot also includes the meeting between a young lieutenant and a beautiful native girl. His rendition of “You Have To Be Carefully Taught” shows he finally understands the prejudice he has carried with him all his life is not valid. All this takes place on a beautiful island sitting on the rim of the war in the Pacific.
Madison Genovese as Nellie Forbush, Daniel Cameron as Emile de Becque, Sergey Khalikulov as Lt. Cable, Jackie DeMuro as Bloody Mary and Stephen Boisvert as Luther Billis deliver solid performances under the dynamic direction of Milissa Carey with delightful chorography by Michael Ryken.
For a feel good, nostalgic evening, “South Pacific” should be on your schedule. At 65, she wears well and entertains with the most captivating music.
Camille Bounds is the theatre columnist for the Morgan Hill Times and Gilroy Dispatch. Contact her at bo******@co********.net.
Where: Smithwick Theatre, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills
Through: Aug. 10
Tickets: $10 to $28
For more information, visit FoothillMusicals.com.
