Review: SOUTH PACIFIC at Providence Performing Arts Center

It isn't lost on me that South Pacific opened at Providence Performing Arts Center on December 7th, the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the beginning of the U.S. engagement in WWII.

South Pacific originally opened on Broadway in 1949, just a couple of years after the war ended.  In the last 60 years the story has kept enough of its emotional heft to keep it engaging, but it is Rogers and Hammerstein's beautiful, soaring, score that keep audiences coming back.  These songs, a fair number of them Broadway classics, are sung beautifully by the current touring cast.

In brief, the story follows Nellie Forbush a nurse in the U.S. Navy, who is stationed, along with a host of ragtag sailors, on a sleepy little island in the South Pacific.  Nellie has fallen in love with Emile de Becque, a dashing and wealthy French ex-patriot living on the island, who along with his fortune has amassed a trove of secrets.

A newcomer, Lt. Joe Cable is a Marine that has been stationed on the island to enlist the help of de Becque on a dangerous mission to provide reconnaissance on Japanese ships traveling the island chain.  Lt. Cable has a lot to prove; to himself and his well-to-do family back in Philadelphia.  When he falls in love with a young native girl, he has to decide if he loves her enough to deal with the certain bigotry they will face, once stateside.

Nearly every one of the songs in the first act, which runs about 90 minutes, is recognizable to even a casual fan of Broadway musicals.  "Cock-eyed Optimist",” There is Nothin' Like a Dame", I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair" and "Some Enchanted Evening" are all classic Rogers and Hammerstein.  They could be slipped into any number of other R&H shows, almost un-noticed.  The lush "Bali Ha'i”, performed wonderfully in this production by Jodi Kimura accompanied by a full orchestra, is a stand-alone gem.  To see and hear the harp, played here by Emily Mitchell, under the soaring notes is heavenly.

As Nellie, Carmen Cusak possesses a lovely voice and a more-than-passable Ozark accent. Cusak conveys the warmth and good nature of Nellie, even as we learn that she is flawed.

David Pittsinger has the voice that you want to hear when you hear "Some Enchanted Evening".  The production notes state clearly that the original arrangements of the songs were used for this tour, but I am skeptical.  Pittsinger's rendition, when first sung, is almost peppy; though it gets a bit more mournful with each reprise.  There are a lot of reprises in South Pacific.

With his All-American good looks and voice, Anderson Davis nearly dispels the "ick" factor that permeates his character's storyline.

Timothy Gulan, as Billis, along with the Seabees and Sailors, played by (in no particular order) Morton Wise, Richard West, Johnny Noonan, Tom O’Brien, James Hayes and Kenneth Johnson deliver an entirely enjoyable and rousing performance of ” There is Nothin' Like a Dame".

The orchestra, under the direction of Lawrence Goldberg, rounds out the lush experience that is Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

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South Pacific plays at Providence Performing Arts Center through December 12, 2010.  Ticket prices range from $41-$68 and can be purchased at the PPAC Box Office, located at 220 Weybosset St. in downtown Providence, by phone at (401) 421-ARTS, or online at www.ppacri.org.

Photo by Craig Schwartz, courtesy of Providence Performing Arts Center

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