Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre to Present SOUTH PACIFIC

Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre is proud to present South Pacific, c omposed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

The show will run from November 7, 2015 through November 22, 2015: Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. There will be an additional matinee performance on Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 2pm. All performances will take place at Firehouse Arts Center, located at 4444 Railroad Avenue located in Pleasanton, CA. Tickets are $17-$38 each, and are available at the Firehouse Arts Center Box Office, by phone at (925) 931-4848, or online at www.pcrtproductions.org or www.firehousearts.org

Synopsis:

The classic musical set against the dramatic background of an idyllic South Pacific island during WWII. Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific intertwines the themes of romance, duty, and prejudice to create a story that is all at once hilarious, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. Based on the anecdotes of a real-life U.S. Navy commander who was stationed on an island, the musical follows two intercultural love stories: Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, a French plantation owner on the island who has two children from his late Polynesian wife; at the same time, U.S. Lieutenant Cable falls for a beautiful island native named Liat. Both Americans find themselves struggling to reconcile their own cultural prejudices with their amorous feelings, all the while under the dark cloud of a war that is coming ever closer to their island paradise. Featuring such Broadway musical classics including "Younger Than Springtime," "Some Enchanted Evening" and "There is Nothin' Like a Dame."

The original Broadway production enjoyed immense critical and box-office success, became the second-longest running Broadway musical to that point (behind Rodgers and Hammerstein's earlier Oklahoma!), and has remained popular ever since. The production won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Libretto, and it is the only musical production to win Tony Awards in all four acting categories. Its original cast album was the bestselling record of the 1940s, and other recordings of the show have also been popular. The show has enjoyed many successful revivals and tours, spawning a 1958 film and television adaptations. The 2008 Broadway revival was a critical success, ran for 996 performances and won seven Tonys, including Best Musical Revival.

Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre's South Pacific:

Co-Founder of PCRT and professional Director, Actor, and Choreographer, Joy Sherratt, will direct and choreograph this Broadway classic at the intimate Firehouse Arts Center. Sherratt explains that while South Pacific is a tale of love set in an island paradise during World War II and that Rogers and Hammerstein deliver one of the most lush scores and sweeping love ballads of all of their musicals in South Pacific, "What draws me as a director to this musical is that the story being told is layered with a real moral conflict that audiences can relate to today. To fall in love completely challenges and changes the way one thinks and this struggle is what breaks hearts and binds true love. The Firehouse Arts Center is the perfect intimate space to tell this tale and audiences will be swept away as Pacific Coast Repertory Theater goes on a journey to the South Pacific."

She will be supported in bringing this vision to the Firehouse stage by professional musician and musical director, Rachel Robinson, Musical Director, along with Scenic Designer Pat Brandon and Lighting Designer Mike Oesch.

Starring in the leading roles of "Emile de Becque" and "Nellie Forbush" are professional actors Joshua Hollister (AEA) and Brandy Collazo. Hollister has studied at the Manhattan School of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music with honors in Opera Performance, and has performed a wide range of opera and musical theatre roles throughout North America and Europe. Collazo was last seen on the PCRT stage as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain. Having performed leading roles throughout the greater Bay Area, her other credits include Shellie Award winning roles as "Peter" in Peter Pan and "Millie Dillmount" in Thoroughly Modern Millie. A very talented group of professional and regional actors complete cast and ensemble.

South Pacific is Directed and Choreographed by Joy Sherratt, Musical Direction by Rachel Robinson, Scenic Designs by Pat Brandon, Lighting Design by Mike Oesch and Costumes by Margaret daSilva.

During the run of the show, theatre lovers can also enjoy a special opportunity to interact with the actors:

· A Free Inside the Show discussion with the actors and director will take place after the Sunday Matinee performance on November 8, 2015.

Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre celebrates human life by engaging audiences with Professional, Innovative and Inspiring theatre in the Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton. www.pcrtproductions.org

The Firehouse Arts Center is dedicated to inspiring passion through the arts. In the Firehouse Arts Center, we combine the sophistication of the culturally rich Bay Area arts landscape with the intimacy of our own hometown to achieve the ultimate representation the best features of our Pleasanton community. www.firehousearts.org

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