Moonlight Stage Opens 2013 Summer Season with SOUTH PACIFIC, Now thru 7/13

Moonlight Stage Productions' 33rd summer season, the first planned by new Artistic Director Steven Glaudini, will begin with the great American classic musical SOUTH PACIFIC, with performances from today, June 26 to July 13. Single tickets are priced $15 to $50 and include price levels for student rush, military, senior, and family discounts. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (760) 724-2110 or visit moonlightstage.com.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC is one of the most enchanting musicals of all time. Refreshed for today's audiences, Moonlight's production will feature scenery and costumes from the breathtaking 2008 Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center revival. Set in a tropical island paradise, South Pacific tells the sweeping romantic saga of two parallel love stories threatened by the realities of war and prejudice. Considered by many one of the finest musicals ever written, the score includes such musical theatre gems as "Some Enchanted Evening," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair," "This Nearly Was Mine," and "There is Nothin' Like a Dame."

Based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book, Tales of the South Pacific, SOUTH PACIFIC premiered on April 7, 1949, at Broadway's Majestic Theatre. It was a huge hit with critics and the box office, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. It went on to what was then the second-longest Broadway run for a musical, and has remained popular ever since. The original Broadway 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. The successful 2008 Broadway revival won seven Tonys, including Best Musical Revival.

Starring as Nellie Forbush is Hilary Maiberger, whose credits include a national tour of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin: The Musical Spectacular, Cinderella, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Evita, Anyone Can Whistle, and State Fair. The San Diego State alumna has also appeared in the operas Don Quixote, The Coronation of Poppea, and I Quattro Rusteghi. She received a San Diego Theatre Critics' Circle nomination for best actress in a musical for Jo March in Moonlight's 2012 production of Little Women.

Co-starring as Emile de Becque is Randall Dodge, who is best known to Moonlight audiences for his appearances inSweeney Todd, Annie, Crazy For You, Annie Get Your Gun, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Sound of Music, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Most Happy Fella. Randall began his performing career as Diesel in West Side Story at age 17, and graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He has taught, directed and performed throughout the country, most notably in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Raleigh, Tulsa, and San Diego, where he is regularly featured in shows at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, North Coast Rep, and Lamb's Players Theatre.

Rounding out the trio of leads as Lt. Cable is Broadway's Danny Gurwin, returning to the Moonlight after starring as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in 2008. Danny has been performing on and off-Broadway for the last 11 years. His New York credits include the off-Broadway hit Shakespeare's R & J, The Thing About Men, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Captains Courageous, Kuni-Leml, A Majority of One, A New Brain, and Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey. On Broadway, Danny made his debut as Hal in The Scarlet Pimpernel. He has stood stark naked onstage for more than 500 performances as Malcolm in The Full Monty. Other Broadway appearances include Urinetown, Laurie in Little Women, and most recently the Encores! revival of Kismet as the Caliph. Danny also played Henrik in the New York City Opera's A Little Night Music, a role he recreated later at the Los Angeles Opera and originated in the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration production.

Also featured in the cast are Brenda Oen as Bloody Mary, April Abrazado Oreta as Liat, Taylor Bassett as Capt. George Brackett, Ted Leib as Cmdr. William Harbison, Sophia Aujero as Ngana, Ace Young as Jerome, and Jason Webb as Luther Billis.

Directing SOUTH PACIFIC is recently appointed Artistic Director Steven Glaudini. Recent Moonlight directing credits include Sweeney Todd, Hairspray (San Diego Critics Award Nomination for Best Director), Miss Saigon (San Diego Critics Award Nomination for Outstanding Musical), Cats, Les Miserables (2008 San Diego Critics Circle Award for Best Director),West Side Story (2007 San Diego Critics Award for Outstanding Musical), Cabaret and Children of Eden. Glaudini directed the critically acclaimed hit Spamalot for Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, where he also staged Annie (starring Andrea McArdle), Little Shop of Horrors, All Shook Up, The Pajama Game, The Pirates of Penzance (starring Rex Smith), and The Full Monty.

Rounding out the creative team is choreographer Carlos Mendoza and musical director/conductor Elan McMahan, who was presented the 2012 San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Musical Direction for her body of work including Moonlight's Sweeney Todd and Fiddler on the Roof. This is the same creative team that staged Moonlight's award-winning West Side Story in 2007.

SOUTH PACIFIC's lighting designer is Jean-Yves Tessier. Sound design is by Christopher Luessman. Set design is by Michael Yeargan, with costumes designed by Catherine Zuber and coordinated by Roslyn Lehman, Renetta Lloyd, and Carlotta Malone. The stage manager is Stanley D. Cohen.

SOUTH PACIFIC will run June 26-July 13, Wednesday through Sunday nights. No performance on July 4; that performance has been moved to Tuesday, July 2. Curtain at 8:00 pM. Gates open for picnicking and dining at 6:30 pm. Ticket price range: $15-$50. Web: moonlightstage.com. Phone: (760) 724-2110.

Family Nights at the Moonlight are Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights. On these nights, lawn tickets for kids 15 and under are just $10 when accompanied by two adults. New this year is the addition of Family Night for Fridays, with kids' tickets just $15. Family Night tickets are available on night of show at the Amphitheatre box office. The Moonlight offers rush tickets for college students on the lawn beginning 30 minutes prior to every performance. Tickets are $15 per person with a valid student identification card. Single ticket discounts for seniors and military are available.

One of the most unique theatre-going experiences found anywhere is Moonlight's lawn seating, allowing patrons to bring their own picnic suppers into the theatre and picnicking before the show. Lawn ticket holders receive a chair as part of their ticket upon entry to the theatre.

The Moonlight's restaurant, the Artisan Cafe, is operated by Chef David Krohn. The Café offers pre-show dining outdoors on the Moonlight Patio where glimpses of the sunset can be seen before patrons take their seats for the show. The Cafe also offers delicious intermission snacks to all theatre-goers including beverages. To view the Cafe's menu, visit moonlightstage.com. For information and reservations, call (760) 828-0596. New for 2013: Artisan Cafe After Hours. On Friday and Saturday nights after the show, the Cafe will offer a late-night menu until midnight for $20, including a glass of house wine.

MOONLIGHT AMPHITHEATRE is located at 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista. Gates open for picnicking and dining 90 minutes before curtain. Non-alcoholic beverages and food may be brought into the Amphitheatre. The award-winning Moonlight Stage Productions is the cultural arts program of the City of Vista and is produced in partnership with the Moonlight Cultural Foundation.

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