SOUTH PACIFIC Plays The Ahmanson Theatre 5/27–7/17

Bob Boyett and NETworks Presentations announce casting for the national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater production of Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein's prize-winning musical "South Pacific," directed by Bartlett Sher, opening June 2 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and playing through July 17, 2010. Previews begin May 27.

The national touring company of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "South Pacific" will be led by opera notables Rod Gilfry (May 27- June 20) and David Pittsinger (June 22- July 17) who share the role of Emile de Becque, and Carmen Cusack (Nellie Forbush), with Anderson Davis (Lt. Cable), Matthew Saldivar (Luther Billis), Keala Settle (Bloody Mary), Gerry Becker (Capt. Brackett), Peter Rini (Cmdr. Harbison), Sumie Maeda (Liat), Rusty Ross (Professor), original 2008 Broadway cast member Genson Blimline (Stewpot), Christina Carrera (Ngana) and CJ Palma (Jerome).

The ensemble includes Christopher Carl, Eric L. Christian (from the Broadway production), Jacqueline Colmer, Jeremy Davis, Mike Evariste (from the Broadway production), Kate Fahrner, Nicholas Galbraith, Alexis G.B. Holt, Chad Jennings, Christopher Johnstone, Kristie Kerwin, Jodi Kimura, Joe Langworth, Cathy Newman, Diane Phelan, John Pinto Jr., Travis Robertson, Josh Rouah, Kristen J. Smith, Matt Stokes, Gregory Williams and Victor Wisehart.

Critics in every city have expressed high praise for the production:

"Electric! This is the ‘South Pacific' we've been waiting for," San Francisco Chronicle; "It is a tribute to the sublime beauty of this musical, filled with gorgeous voices and astonishing emotional depth," Chicago Sun-Times; "Bartlett Sher's staging of ‘South Pacific' reveals, intensifies and clarifies the work of Rodgers & Hammerstein," Seattle Times; "Superbly sung and powerfully acted, the touring cast of the magnificent Lincoln Center Theater restoration of ‘South Pacific' is the equal of the New York team," Houston Chronicle.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's "South Pacific" swept the 2008 Tony Awards®, winning seven honors including Best Musical Revival and Best Director for Bartlett Sher. This breathtaking new production is still selling-out at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in an open-ended run on Broadway, hailed by the critics as "simply wonderful...beguiling theatrical magic," New York Post, "ravishing...overwhelming," Variety, and "rapturous...revelatory," The New York Times.

Based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book "Tales of the South Pacific," Rodgers & Hammerstein's "South Pacific" has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

Set on a tropical island during World War II, the musical tells the sweeping romantic story of two couples - U.S. Navy nurse Nellie Forbush and French plantation owner Emile de Becque and Navy Airman Joe Cable and a young local native girl, Liat - and how their happiness is threatened by the realities of war and by their own prejudices. Considered by many the finest musicals ever written, the score's songs include such classics as "Some Enchanted Evening," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," "Younger Than Springtime," "Bali Ha'i," "There is Nothin' Like A Dame," "This Nearly Was Mine" and "A Wonderful Guy."

The lavish new production features a cast of 34, musical staging by Christopher Gattelli, sets by Michael Yeargan (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), costumes by Catherine Zuber (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), lighting by Donald Holder (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), sound by Scott Lehrer (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®) and music direction by Ted Sperling. A full orchestra of 26 members - the largest orchestra of any touring Broadway production - will perform the original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett (winner of a Special 2008 Tony Award®) and dance and incidental music arranged by Trude Rittmann.

Tickets for "South Pacific" are available by calling Center Theatre Group Audience Services at (213) 972-4400, in person at the Center Theatre Group box office located the Ahmanson Theatre or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.

Hot-Tix, priced at $20, are available and can be purchased in advance, or subject to availability, on the day of performance at the CTG box office (no checks). For the deaf community, call TDD (213) 680-4017 for tickets and information. Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling (213) 972-7231.

Bartlett Sher (Director). Lincoln Center Theater: "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," "South Pacific" (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), "Awake and Sing" (Tony nomination), "The Light in the Piazza" (Tony nomination). Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre; credits there include the world premieres of "Prayer for My Enemy" and "Singing Forest" by Craig Lucas (both at Long Wharf Theatre) and "Nickel and Dimed"; plays by Chekhov, Wilder, Shakespeare, Goldoni and Tony Kushner. Opera: "Roméo et Juliette" (Salzburg Festival), "The Barber of Seville" (Metropolitan Opera), "Mourning Becomes Electra" (Seattle Opera and New York City Opera). New York: Cymbeline (2001 Callaway Award for Best Director; first American Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Company), "Waste" (2000 Best Play Obie), "Don Juan" (all TFANA). He is a member of the TCG Board.

Rod Gilfry (Emile de Becque, May 27-June 20). The Grammy-nominated baritone has created leading roles in five major operas, most notably, André Previn's "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Stanley Kowalski; San Francisco). His discography includes over 25 recordings. Other credits: Busoni's "Doktor Faust" (Doktor Faust; San Francisco), Britten's "Billy Budd" (Billy Budd; Geneva, Paris, London, Dallas, Los Angeles), Mozart's "Don Giovanni" (Don Giovanni; Los Angeles, Zurich, Lyon, London, Parma, Dallas, Minneapolis, Amsterdam), Maw's "Sophie's Choice" (Nathan; London, Washington, D.C.); Alfano's "Cyrano" (DeGuiche; Valencia, opposite Placido Domingo), Messiaen's "Saint François d'Assise" (Saint François; Amsterdam, London), Loesser's "The Most Happy Fella" (Joe; Los Angeles, Chicago), Lerner & Loewe's "Camelot"(Lancelot; Chicago). http://www.gilfry.com

David Pittsinger (Emile de Becque, June 22-July 17). Broadway: "South Pacific" (Lincoln Center). Metropolitan Opera: "Tosca" (also live HD cinemacast), "Hamlet," "Lulu," "Die Zauberflöte," "Don Carlo," "Rake's Progress," "Giulio Cesare," "La Bohème," "The Magic Flute." NYCO: "Don Giovanni" (Don Giovanni), "Nozze di Figaro" (Figaro), "Orlando" (Zoroastro). U.S. and international credits include "Don Quichotte" (Don Quichotte; Vienna, Teatro Colon Buenos Aires), "Tosca" (Scarpia/FGO), "Nozze di Figaro" (Count; LA Opera) "Faust" (Mephistopheles; L'Arena Sferisterio, L'Opera de Montreal), "Mefistofele" (Mefistofele; I Solisti Veneti, Pittsburgh), "Rake's Progress" (Nick Shadow; Paris, Brussels, Hamburg, Bordeaux,), "Carmen" (Escamillo; Montpellier, Santa Fe). Orchestral appearance include: Vienna Philharmonic, Salzburg Festival, Dresden Festival, N.Y. Philharmonic, L.A. Philharmonic, ENO, St. Luke's Chamber Orchestra. Discography includes Charles Ives Songs, "La Calisto," Carlisle Floyd's "Susanna." Awards: Artist of the Year awards from NYCO and Pittsburgh Opera. MM: Yale.

Carmen Cusack (Nellie Forbush), from Houston, TX, has spent the last two years playing Elphaba in "Wicked" (U.S. National Tour, Chicago and Australia productions). Her career prior was based in England. Recent West End credits include "Les Misérables" (Fantine; U.K., U.S. & Shanghai), "The Secret Garden" (Rose; Royal Shakespeare Company), "Personals" (Kim), "Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens" (Chesty Prospects), "Over the Rainbow" (Eva Cassidy; U.K. and Ireland) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (Christine; U.K. National Tour). http://www.carmencusack.com