SOUTH PACIFIC Returns to Wagon Wheel Stage for 70th Anniversary Season

Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts has launched the second production of its landmark 70th professional summer season with South Pacific, now running through June 27. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is sponsored by Alderfer Bergen & Co., Wagon Wheel’s longest-running supporter, and marks the fifth time the musical has appeared on the theatre’s stage since its first production in 1977.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, South Pacific explores themes of love, prejudice, and personal courage. The current staging stars Annie Olive Cahill as Nellie Forbush and Liam Fisher as Emile de Becque. The role of Nellie has previously been played on the Wagon Wheel stage by Broadway star Faith Prince in 1977 and Jennifer Dow in 2003.

Performed in the round, Wagon Wheel’s unique theater configuration allows for an intimate audience experience—no seat is more than ten rows from the stage. The immersive format brings audiences closer to the action, heightening the emotional impact of each scene and deepening the sense of connection to the story and characters.

The creative team has embraced the in-the-round setting to craft a vivid and immediate production that highlights the enduring relevance of the show’s themes.

South Bend Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. WAITRESS (South Bend Civic Theatre)

21.9% of votes

2. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts)

12.2% of votes

3. GREASE (Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts)

11.5% of votes

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