South Pacific at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

Set against the dramatic background of an idyllic South Pacific island during WWII, Rodgers and Hammersteins 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 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. Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is excited to celebrate the 70th anniversary of South Pacific with its production opening Wednesday, July 24 and running until Sunday, September 15. The Rodgers and Hammersteins classic which premiered in 1949, did not have a revival until the 2008 Lincoln Center production which like its predecessor won multiple Tony Awards. Several of its songs, including Im Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair, Some Enchanted Evening, There is Nothing Like a Dame, Happy Talk, and Im In Love with a Wonderful Guy, have become popular standards. South Pacific isnt only recognized for its beautiful score, it also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. Riverside Center for the Performing Arts Producing Artistic Director, Patrick AHearn is pleased to announce a stellar cast being led by world renowned opera singer Branch Fields as Emile De Becque and Kate Marshall as Ensign Nellie Forbush. Fields, who has sung with multiple opera companies made his Broadway debut in South Pacific, understudying the role of Emile de Becque in the Lincoln Center Theater production. Marshall is reprising the role of Ensign Nellie Forbush which she played at the Arizona Broadway Theater in 2018. The cast also includes Riverside favorite Kadejah On (Bloody Mary), Joey Birchler (Lt. Cable), Alan Hoffman (Luther Billis), local favorite Robert John Biedermann (Captain Brackett), Sally Roehl (Liat), Ian Lane (Cd. Harbison), Raina Chan (Ngana) and Silas Iem (Jerome). The ensemble includes Adelyne Anderson, Elizabeth C. Butler, Kevin Cleary, Cody Hall, Andrea Kahane, Shana Lambert, Colby LeRoy, Katie Little, Erica Morchower, Wilson Pezzuto, Andrew Prowant, C. Alexander Smith, Theron Smith, and Stephanie Wood. The creative team is led by director and choreographer, Penny Ayn Maas and Music directed by Angela Donadio. The scenic design by Frank Foster, lighting design by Michael Jarett and Costumes designed by Kyna Chilcot. Sound design by Billy Timms and properties master & set dresser Bridgid K. Burge. Our creative team is complete with the production stage manager, Jessica Dotson. For tickets, contact the Box Office at (540) 370-4300 or go online at riversidedt.com. Regular price tickets: $48-$72. Discounted senior and group rates are available, as well as student rush tickets (with valid student ID). Evening performances start at 7:30pm with dinner service beginning at 5:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Matinee performances start at 1:30pm with dinner service beginning at 11:30am on Wednesday and 3:00pm on Sunday with dinner service beginning at 1:00pm.

Authors

• Dorothy Heyward
• Howard Rigsby
• James A. Michener
• Joshua Logan
• Oscar Hammerstein II
• Richard Rodgers

Tony Awards and Nominations for South Pacific