“South Pacific” at The Muny is the

Pinnacle of Romantic Enchantment

           by Pat Lindsey

Just when I think The Muny can’t get any better, it does. Without beating around the banyan tree, let me just say that I loved “South Pacific.”   The show that is running now through Sunday, July 12 is the most beautiful production of this classic masterpiece I’ve ever seen. It has a magnetic story, outstanding acting, a memorable score, and original dance narratives during the overture and throughout the show. It’s an artistic triumph.

“South Pacific” has been one of America’s favorite musicals since its Broadway debut in 1949. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book, “Tales of the South Pacific” by James Michener. The musical itself has won 10 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. The problems surrounding wartime love affairs, cultural differences, and racial prejudice are woven into a spellbinding story.

The meaningful music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II is flawless. Every song, whether serious or whimsical, is memorable. “Some Enchanted Evening” sets the tone for romance while “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair” delightfully illustrates one of the romantic conflicts faced during wartime. “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” attempts to explain why some people harbor prejudice, and “This Nearly Was Mine” is de Becque’s (Szot) lament for Nellie’s (Louderman) love.

The casting for this show couldn’t be better. Muny favorite and hometown girl Taylor Louderman is adorably ditzy in the role of Ensign Nellie Forbush, a nurse stationed at a naval base in the South Pacific. She sings like a nightingale with an Arkansas accent. It only takes her two weeks to fall in love with wealthy French plantation owner Emile de Becque, played by Paulo Szot. Szot’s worldly charm and robust baritone voice completely captivate the young, naive Nellie Forbush. The couple soon begin discussions about marriage and raising a family, but one major detail is not disclosed.

A parallel love affair develops when Marine Lieutenant Joe Cable (Michael Canu) arrives at the base and meets Bloody Mary (Joan Almedilla), an entrepreneur who sells grass skirts and other native souvenirs to the troops Mary desperately wants to find a suitable American soldier for her young daughter, Liat (Michaela Marfori).   Despite their age difference, Joe and Liat fall passionately in love. Their romance, however, is complicated by the fact that Liat lives on another island, Bali Ha’i, reachable only by boat.

As emotional tensions mount for the star-crossed lovers, de Becque (Szot) and Cable (Canu) finally agree to go on a secret mission together on Marie Louise Island, a mission that could be the turning point in the war against the Japanese. While they are gone, Nellie sorts through her true feelings and decides that her love for Emile is stronger than her disapproval of his previous marriage to a woman of another race.

“South Pacific” has its fair share of comedy amidst the strife of war. Bobby Conte as Luther Billis, along with his fellow Seabees and Marines , add levity and laughs every chance they get. Luther is as shrewd as Bloody Mary, but he also has a soft spot in his heart for Nellie. Their rendition of “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame” is a highlight of Act I. Luther (Conte) delights the audience again in Act II when he teams up with Nellie and the ensemble in “Honey Bun,” sung during the Thanksgiving Follies for the troops.

Director William Carlos Angulo and Choreographer Karla Puno Garcia have teamed up to personalize “South Pacific” in such a dramatic way that it actually brought me to tears. The ballets, waltzes, and modern dances add immeasurable loveliness and romance to this stunning production. And it’s all set against a backdrop of Pacific Ocean and swaying palms. As I was leaving The Muny, I asked my favorite usherette, “Does it get any better than this?” Her reply was, “I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love with a wonderful guy!” She was referring, of course, to Paulo Szot, who could have blown the roof off The Muny, if The Muny had one. The chemistry between him and Taylor Louderman as Nellie has raised the bar for future productions of “South Pacific” to an all new high.

Feel Muny magic at its best with Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” now through July 12. For more information, go to muny.org.

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