Based on "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener
The plot of South Pacific centers on an American nurse stationed on a South Pacific island during World War II who falls in love with a middle-aged expatriate French plantation owner. This story is intertwined with a secondary romance, between a U.S. lieutenant and a young Tonkinese woman.
The original Broadway production enjoyed immense critical and box-office success and became the second-longest running Broadway musical to that point (behind Rodgers and Hammerstein's earlier Oklahoma!). Because of its exploration of racial and social issues of the day, the show won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. Several of its songs, including "Bali Ha'i", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair", "Some Enchanted Evening", "There Is Nothing Like a Dame", "Happy Talk" and Younger Than Springtime" have become popular standards.
The production won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, and it is the only musical production to win Tony Awards in all four acting categories. Its original cast album was the bestselling record of the 1940s, and other recordings of the show have also been popular. The show has enjoyed many successful revivals and tours, spawning a 1958 film and television adaptations. The 2008 Broadway revival won seven Tonys, including Best Musical Revival.
Just in - NEXT TO NORMAL has one the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama!
As per the official Pulitzer's web site: For a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).
The 2010 Pulitzer Prizewinners and Nominated Finalists in all categories will be announced on April 12, 2010 at 3 p.m. Eastern daylight time. Finalists are not announced in advance. The 2010 Prizes are awarded for work published, produced or premiered in 2009.
The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, nationally known for its interpretation of Stephen Sondheim musicals, celebrated its 20th anniversary season by presenting Sondheim's most popular musical SWEENEY TODD, directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. The production will end its run in the 276-seat MAX Theater, April 4, 2010.
The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced its 2010-2011 theater programming. The season will feature: a Center-produced revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies; ON THE FRINGE: Eye on Edinburgh featuring new work by artists emerging from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; 11 and 12, directed by Peter Brook; Chekhov International Theatre Festival's Three Sisters and Twelfth Night; DRUID's The Cripple of Inishmaan; and Penumbra Theatre Company's new production I Wish You Love, as part of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays. Barbara Cook's Spotlight will bring six theater cabaret performers in its fourth season, and audiences will delight in touring productions of Hair, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, Wicked, and Next to Normal. The 2010-2011 season is as follows:
Tom Aldredge, Len Cariou, Nathan Lane, Alexander Hanson and Michele Pawk have joined other stars who have shone in Stephen Sondheim musicals, including Michael Cerveris, Barbara Cook, Raúl Esparza, Sutton Foster, Victor Garber, Joanna Gleason, Patti LuPone, Donna Murphy and Bernadette Peters in a gala celebration of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Stephen Sondheim on the occasion of his 80th birthday on Monday, April 26. The gala, directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, will highlight numbers from shows for which Mr. Sondheim has written both music and lyrics, and will feature a full orchestra conducted by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. The benefit will help fund New York City Center's artistic and education programs. In addition, a portion of the evening's proceeds will go to Young Playwrights Inc, a charity of great importance to Mr. Sondheim.
The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, nationally known for its interpretation of Stephen Sondheim musicals, celebrates its 20th anniversary season by presenting Sondheim's most popular musical SWEENEY TODD, directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. The new production runs in the 276-seat MAX Theater, February 9 through April 4, 2010.
The Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre, nationally known for its interpretation of Stephen Sondheim musicals, celebrates its 20th anniversary season by presenting Sondheim's most popular musical SWEENEY TODD, directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. The new production runs in the 276-seat MAX Theater, February 9 through April 4, 2010.
Gale Harold (Queer as Folk), Denise Crosby (Star Trek TNG), and cover girl-turned-actress Claudia Mason (Vogue, Elle, W, Cosmopolitan) head the cast of Tennessee Williams' rarely produced classic, Orpheus Descending.
Come celebrate the rich culture of the African American diaspora. February is Black History Month and Brooklyn Public Library has free fun that the entire family will enjoy. All programs are free and open to the public. Please be advised that programs are subject to change, therefore we suggest calling ahead.
Beowulf Alley Theatre's Old Time Radio Theatre presents an exciting series of live presentations of old radio shows from the golden age at the theatre, 11 South 6th Avenue (Downtown between Broadway and Congress) in the first and third week of each month. Performances are at 7 p.m. (this is a change from the originally announced 6:30 p.m. performance time).
Gale Harold (Queer as Folk), Denise Crosby (Star Trek TNG), and cover girl-turned-actress Claudia Mason (Vogue, Elle, W, Cosmopolitan) head the cast of Tennessee Williams' rarely produced classic, Orpheus Descending.
Chicago thespian Lee Pelty, known for his numerous portrayals of Tevye the Milkman in 'Fiddler on the Roof,' died on Sunday of lung cancer. He was 74. Pelty was last seen in Fiddler in February 2007 at Theatre at the Center in Munster.
The New York Philharmonic will present SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert on March 15 and Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. This celebration of the 80th birthday of the great Broadway and film composer/lyricist will include his most enduring orchestral music and songs - performed, in some cases, by the stars of the original Broadway cast productions - in addition to rarely-heard material. Joining the celebration will be (in alphabetical order) Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, and others to be announced, including surprise guests. Paul Gemignani, Mr. Sondheim's longtime collaborator, will conduct the New York Philharmonic; Lonny Price is the director; and Mr. Price and Matt Cowart are the producers.
In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.
Reprise Theatre Company will present a month-long Richard Rodgers Celebration October 2-November 2 in a variety of venues across Los Angeles. The series of concerts, symposiums, staged readings, screenings and cabarets will explore the diversity and scope of the work of one of the most important figures in the American Musical.
Reprise Theatre Company will present a month-long Richard Rodgers Celebration October 2-November 2 in a variety of venues across Los Angeles. The series of concerts, symposiums, staged readings, screenings and cabarets will explore the diversity and scope of the work of one of the most important figures in the American Musical.
What can one do but stand in awe of the legendary accomplishments of Mitzi Gaynor! Motion picture star of over 17 films, including her Golden Globe nominated performance as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 blockbuster musical South Pacific, TV star of 9 spectacular musical specials that garnered 17 Emmy nominations, and night club performer extraordinaire in Las Vegas and touring the entire US and Canada, this lady has done it all. As part of this season's month long tribute to Richard Rodgers by Reprise Theatre Company and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Joshua Logan's film South Pacific, Miss Gaynor will appear onstage this Thursday, October 15 at the Majestic Crest Theatre in Westwood.
South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2009-10 Season with Putting It Together, a compilation of Stephen Sondheim songs, that the composer put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, creating a narrative set at a cocktail party in an elegant Manhattan condo. The non-traditional musical, led by Broadway and television star Harry Groener, has a cast of five (a glamorous but slightly jaded couple, a starry-eyed younger couple and a savvy observer) who sing more than 30 songs that reflect their lives, lifestyles and moods of the moment. Some of the songs will be familiar, some less so, a few were even cut from their original musical scores, but they are all sophisticated, smart and drop-dead droll. All, in other words, Sondheim.
Reprise Theatre Company will present a month-long Richard Rodgers Celebration October 2-November 2 in a variety of venues across Los Angeles. The roster of talent involved continues to grow.
‘Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Asia' - a symposium exploring the successes and controversies in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals -- 'The King and I,' 'South Pacific,' and 'Flower Drum Song,' will be presented October 5 at David Henry Hwang Theater. The event will include musical performances by Jose Llana and Jennifer Paz. The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
‘Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Asia' - a symposium exploring the successes and controversies in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals -- 'The King and I,' 'South Pacific,' and 'Flower Drum Song,' will be presented October 5 at David Henry Hwang Theater. The event will include musical performances by Jose Llana and Jennifer Paz. The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to have Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine return to Studio 54 with Sondheim on Sondheim, a new original Broadway musical starring Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Michael Arden & Leslie Kritzer. Music & lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, conceived & directed by James Lapine. Sondheim on Sondheim will begin previews on March 19th, 2010 and open officially April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through Sunday, June 13th, 2010.
‘Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Asia' - a symposium exploring the successes and controversies in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals -- 'The King and I,' 'South Pacific,' and 'Flower Drum Song,' will be presented October 5 at David Henry Hwang Theater. The event will include musical performances by Jose Llana and Jennifer Paz. The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
The symposium, presented by Reprise Theatre Company in association with East West Players, will be moderated by playwright David Henry Hwang.
South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2009-10 Season with Putting It Together, a compilation of Stephen Sondheim songs, that the composer put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, creating a narrative set at a cocktail party in an elegant Manhattan condo. The non-traditional musical, led by Broadway and television star Harry Groener, has a cast of five (a glamorous but slightly jaded couple, a starry-eyed younger couple and a savvy observer) who sing more than 30 songs that reflect their lives, lifestyles and moods of the moment. Some of the songs will be familiar, some less so, a few were even cut from their original musical scores, but they are all sophisticated, smart and drop-dead droll. All, in other words, Sondheim.
| 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 |
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