Photo Coverage: Mitzi Gaynor Visits SOUTH PACIFIC

Mitzi Gaynor, who played Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film version of SOUTH PACIFIC, met the cast of the current Broadway revival production at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre in New York on October 9, 2008. BroadwayWorld.com shared in the joy and excitement of the emotional backstage meeting!

Mitzi Gaynor has had a long, storied career as an actress, singer and dancer. Born in Chicago in 1931, she portrayed Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film version of SOUTH PACIFIC. Gaynor's other film credits include THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS (1954), LES GIRLS (1957), HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (1959), SURPRISE PACKAGE (1960), FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY (1963) and ANYTHING GOES (1956), which co-starred Bing Crosby.

WLIW New York will present Mitzi Gaynor: RAZZLE DAZZLE! THE SPECIAL YEARS - world broadcast premiere Saturday, October 11 at 8 pm with Mitzi live in the WLIW21 studio sharing stories from her fabled career. You can learn more about this thrilling special by clicking here!

After its premiere on WLIW, the special will air nationwide on PBS as part of the station's December pledge drive. Check www.pbs.org and your local listings for details.

With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, SOUTH PACIFIC is considered to be one of the greatest musicals in history, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. It opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, at the Majestic Theater, and ran for five years. When it closed, it had the fifth-longest run in the history of Broadway. The first Broadway revival officially opened on April 3, 2008, at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City. The current production, directed by Bartlett Sher and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, garnered five Drama Desk Awards, five Outer Critics Circle Awards, 11 Tony nominations and seven Tony Awards, including Best Revival. The revival opened with Kelli O'Hara as Nellie Forbush, Paulo Szot as Emile de Becque, and Matthew Morrison as Lt. Cable, with Danny Burstein and Loretta Ables Sayre.

Photo credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

 

Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Paulo Szot and Mitzi Gaynor

Paulo Szot and Mitzi Gaynor

Paulo Szot and Mitzi Gaynor

Paulo Szot and Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

Laurissa Romain and Mitzi Gaynor

Laurissa Romain and Mitzi Gaynor

Kelli O'Hara and Mitzi Gaynor

Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Mitzi Gaynor

Loretta Ables Sayre and Mitzi Gaynor

 

Loretta Ables Sayre, Laurissa Romain, Kelli O'Hara and Mitzi Gaynor

Loretta Ables Sayre, Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Loretta Ables Sayre, Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Loretta Ables Sayre, Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot