Photo Coverage: Mitzi Gaynor Visits SOUTH PACIFIC 2008/10/10

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 and Danny Burstein

Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Paulo Szot and Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor and Danny Burstein

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

Kelli O'Hara, Mitzi Gaynor and Paulo Szot

Kelli O'Hara and Mitzi Gaynor

Related Links

Pittsinger Returns to SOUTH PACIFIC as Emile de Becque 2/2 - 3/21
Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger returns to the role of Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, for a seven week period beginning Tuesday, February 2nd through Sunday, March 21, 2010. The production's current Emile de Becque, baritone Paulo Szot, leaves the musical on Jan. 24 to prepare for his Metropolitan Opera debut in their new production of Shostakovich's The Nose. He returns to South Pacific on March 30, 2010.

David Pittsinger Returns to SOUTH PACIFIC as Emile de Becque for Limited Engagement, 2/2 - 3/21
Bass-Baritone David Pittsinger returns to the role of Emile de Becque in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, for a seven week period beginning Tuesday, February 2nd through Sunday, March 21, 2010. The production's current Emile de Becque, baritone Paulo Szot, leaves the musical on Jan. 24 to prepare for his Metropolitan Opera debut in their new production of Shostakovich's The Nose. He returns to South Pacific on March 30, 2010.

Laura Osnes Re-Joins SOUTH PACIFIC; Kelli O'Hara Takes Final Bow Jan. 3
Laura Osnes will return to the role of Ensign Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center Theater's Tony Award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC, directed by Bartlett Sher, beginning Tuesday, January 5 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Kelli O'Hara, who originated the role in the production, will play her last performance on Sunday, January 3.

RIALTO CHATTER: Lincoln Center Terminates Contract of Accused 'PACIFIC' Stage Manager
CBS News reports that Lincoln Center has terminated the contract of Michael Brunner, the stage manager for the Tony Winning SOUTH PACIFIC, that has been accused of recording a video of an actress disrobing in a dressing room.

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After his life as an ingenue in Brooklyn & Queens, Walter spent the next 25 Years in a leading role as a Photographer / Photo Researcher in Manhattan. He is currently headlining in New Jersey with his partner Richard and children Dali & Gala. As a 14 year old youth, Walter was transfixed by his first Broadway Show, the original production of "GREASE". His journey on the path to celebrity photojournalism began that fateful night. Meeting, photographing and getting to know the cast inspired him to spend his professional life doing what he loved. Broadway introduced him to his two homes... Retna Ltd & BroadwayWorld.com, represented by: www.retna.com.

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