Although well known for its extraordinary score -- the songs include Some Enchanted Evening, Younger Than Springtime, Bali Ha'i, There Is Nothin' Like A Dame, and A Wonderful Guy -- South Pacific is also a deeply felt drama. Its portrayal of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime is as relevant today as when it first thrilled audiences in 1949.
Now in its first Broadway revival, South Pacific won seven 2008 Tonys and has been playing to sold-out houses since the first preview in March 2008. Three time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara and acclaimed bass-baritone David Pittsinger lead the marvelous cast of 40 directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher.
Fittingly, it's the music that is the most prominent aspect of the production, as evidenced by the starring role of the large orchestra. At the beginning of the evening, it receives a huge ovation, before the stage slowly extends over the musicians to bring the performers closer to the audience. Directed by Bartlett Sher, this lavish production doesn't always succeed on a purely dramatic level, with the story line involving the major characters never quite connecting the way it should. But it does do full justice to the glorious score, and that's more than enough.
But period flavor cuts both ways. Despite the best efforts of Danny Burstein, who got dependable laughs in The Drowsy Chaperone, the antics of fast-talking operator Luther Billis aren’t very funny. And despite O’Hara’s best efforts, the show’s vaunted wrestling match with bigotry doesn’t resonate either. There’s no denying the show’s boldness for 1949, the new seriousness it brought to musical drama on Broadway. Alas, a pioneer spirit doesn’t make the show complex or challenging enough to keep up with the racial conversation we’re having today. If it’s relevant now, it’s largely through letting us see how far our cultural depictions of American race relations have come.
1949 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1950 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
1951 | West End |
London Production West End |
1955 | Broadway |
Unknown Broadway |
1967 | Off-Broadway |
Lincoln Center Revival Off-Broadway |
1988 | West End |
London Revival West End |
1994 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
2001 | West End |
Royal National Theatre Production West End |
2005 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Concert Off-Broadway |
2008 | Broadway |
Lincoln Center Revival Broadway |
2011 | West End |
Lincoln Center Revival [West End] West End |
2022 | US Tour |
Non Equity Tour US Tour |
2022 | West End |
West End |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Paulo Szot |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Bartlett Sher |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design | Donald Holder |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | South Pacific |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Set Design of a Musical | Michael Yeargan |
2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design | Scott Lehrer |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Paulo Szot |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Paulo Szot |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Christopher Gattelli |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Catherine Zuber |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Bartlett Sher |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | 0 |
2008 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Michael Yeargan |
2008 | The Hewes Awards | Lighting Design | Donald Holder |
2008 | Theatre World Awards | Performance | Loretta Ables Sayre |
2008 | Theatre World Awards | Performance | Paulo Szot |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Christopher Gattelli |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Catherine Zuber |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Bartlett Sher |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Donald Holder |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Paulo Szot |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Loretta Ables Sayre |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Kelli O'Hara |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Bob Boyett |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Lincoln Center Theater |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Michael Yeargan |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Michael Yeargan |
2008 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Scott Lehrer |
Videos