The lavish new production features a cast of 40 with musical staging by Christopher Gattelli, sets by Michael Yeargan (winner of the 2008 Tony Award, costumes by Catherine Zuber (winner of the 2008 Tony Award), lighting by Donald Holder (winner of the 2008 Tony Award), sound by Scott Lehrer (winner of the 2008 Tony Award) and music direction by Ted Sperling. A full orchestra will perform the original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett (winner of a Special 2008 Tony Award) and dance and incidental music arranged by Trude Rittmann.
Bay Area native, Bartlett Sher (Director) will come home to San Francisco, where he recently directed the national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater's production of The Light in the Piazza as part of the SHN Best of Broadway 2006-2007 Season. Mr. Sher has an ongoing relationship with the Lincoln Center Theater where he directed the Tony Award winning production of the Craig Lucas-Adam Guettel musical The Light in the Piazza and the Tony Award winning Best Revival of the Clifford Odets' classic Awake and Sing!, earning Tony Award nominations as Best Director for both productions. Last season he directed a critically acclaimed new production of Rossini's IL Barbiere di Siviglia for the Metropolitan Opera, which has just returned to the MET's repertory. The Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre, his other New York credits include the Theatre for A New Audiences productions of Waste, Cymbeline (the first American Shakespeare production presented in London by the RSC for which he received the 2001 Callaway Award for Best Direction as well as Lortel and Drama Desk nominations), Don Juan and Pericles.
To experience what goes on backstage at SHN shows, go here and listen to Backstage, the SHN podcast series, to hear interviews with members of the creative teams or actors for all SHN productions.
Tickets for Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC range in price from $30 to $99 and may be purchased online at www.shnsf.com, through Ticketmaster by calling (415) 512-7770, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers and at the Orpheum Theatre Box Office (1192 Market at 8th St., Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm). Groups of 20 or more may order now by calling Group Sales at (415) 551-2020. To learn more about Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC and other SHN shows, please visit www.shnsf.com
SHN is the pre-eminent theatrical entertainment company in San Francisco and owns and operates the Curran, Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatres-San Francisco's premier theatrical venues. SHN's Best of Broadway theater series provides Bay Area audiences with pre-Broadway world premieres, original Broadway cast productions, award-winners and current hits fresh from Broadway. For information on all SHN shows, please visit www.shnsf.com.
ROD GILFRY (Emile de Becque) :A Grammy-nominated opera singer who has performed in all the world's music capitals, including Vienna, Paris, London, Munich, Zurich, Milan, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. His discography includes 23 audio and video recordings. Credits include: Stanley Kowalski, André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire (San Francisco Opera); Lionel, Tchaikovsky's Joan of Arc (San Francisco Opera); Prospero, Thomas Ades' The Tempest (Santa Fe Opera); Nathan, Nicholas Maw's Sophie's Choice (Washington D.C.); De Guiche, Alfano's Cyrano (Valencia, Spain, opposite Placido Domingo); Count Danilo, Lehar's The Merry Widow (Los Angeles Opera); Joe, Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella and Lancelot, Lerner & Loewe's Camelot (both at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago). Assistant Professor of Vocal Arts at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.
Carmen Cusack (Nellie Forbush): An actress and singer whose career spans two continents, credits include The Phantom of the Opera (Christine), Les Misérables (Fantine) and Wicked (Elphaba) as well as numerous concerts, recordings and cabarets. Original London West End casts of The Secret Garden and Personals.
