LCT to Produce 1st Ever South Pacific Revival- Page 2

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:10pm

Seriously -- I really am hoping that R&H Organization stops fiddling around with their scripts (are you reading this Ted Chapin?) -- the restructuring of the book for the RNT production of SOUTH PACIFIC didn't work - and I've seen productions of the show that used the original script to fine effect. You just need a good director. We don't need rewrites by Peter Stone and David Hwang - thank you.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:12pm

Amen, brotha Bennett.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:12pm

So, are they going to produce it at the Beaumont, or go to another Broadway house? Thoughts?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:13pm

I think they'll do it at the Beaumont. And I think there will be a lot of sand on stage.

[Horton]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:21pm

Dear God, please! let Brian Stokes Mitchell be Emile

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:24pm

So happy!!

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:27pm

I agree that there shouldn't be added subtext. If Stokes Mitchell plays the role, I may add that subtext in my head but I would be disappointed if the script were to include it in some way.
I stand firm with MB and B12B, stop "updating and improving" scripts, they don't need it and we DON'T want it.


(Jose' I wasn't admonising you, when I wrote that I was afraid you had locked the thread for being repeated and it wasn't going to show up at all. )

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:38pm

I was lucky enough to have been in a terrific production of South Pacific a while back, with the late-great David Holliday (Coco, Man of LaMancha, etc.) as Emile De Beque and Barbara Marineau (Beauty and the Beast, The Women, Man of No Importance, etc.) as Nellie. They were both incredible.

No changes were made in the book or score... and it worked just fine, as is, for "modern" audiences.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:02pm

ABOUT FREAKIN' TIME!! YES!!!!

I think Reba would be a fantastic Nellie, but I also think Sutton Foster could play the hell out of it. Also, if Kelli' O'Hara proves her belt in PJ Game, I could see her doing it too.

Brian Stokes has the right voice for Emile, but I would like to see Robert Cuccioli come back to B'way and do the role.
Updated On: 1/15/06 at 01:02 PM

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:08pm

Personally, I think if Stokes haden't done Ragtime, this would ONLY be an issue with us crazy-crazy Broadway fans. Casual fans and (most importantly) tourists would never notice, they'd just see him singing the hell out of the score. And, let's be honest - he's very light skinned. It's not like they're casting Norm Lewis (okay, I took that line from someone on ATC on this very topic, but it's a good line)!

PS - Not that I'm saying he shouldn't have done Ragtime.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:11pm

How about Victoria Clark for Nellie? Sher loves her, and she'd do wonders with the role.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:11pm

There are many black french men

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:12pm

Yes, but isn't Nellie supposed to be shocked that he has "mixed" children?

[jam_man]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:15pm

Besides, isn't Stokes only something like 1/4 black? Not that a racist women would care about the fraction (especially one from Little Rock - fractions?)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:35pm

STokes cannot play Emmile.

Paul Schoffler would be great.

[OOTI2004]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 2:44pm

Finally!! I can't wait for this to happen.
Although I think Brian Stokes Mitchell is a great performer, he cannot play this role. It would completely change the show.
One main point of the story is that Nellie is in love with Emile, but can't marry him when she finds out he has "mixed" children. If Stokes Mitchell played the role, much of the story would be changed.

[Flahooley]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:07pm

I have a passion for what is called "non-traditional" or "color-blind" casting. I love to see all types of people in all types of roles. I find it thrilling.

However, when the central conflict involves issues of race. It is hard to justify casting outside of the that race.

I can see, and would love to see a color blind MY FAIR LADY,or MUSIC MAN.

But SOUTH PACIFIC with a African-American Playing the lead really dimishes the ugliness that is part of Nellie's character and gives her nothing to overcome. This would make the whole show pointless.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:14pm

Nobody would suggest a white Coalhouse. Not in a million years! This is the same thing. It's hard to say Stokes shouldn't play the part without sounding a tad racist to some of the PC crowd, but as said, his casting would change the main point of the show.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 3:20pm

Although many people did say that Stokes was "not black enough" to play Coalhouse.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 4:40pm

I would love to see them keep dressing rooms at the Beaumont for David Burnham and Katie Clarke...cast them as you will.

I know Jennifer Hope Wills was considered for Clara. Any chance Sher and co. might consider her for Nellie?

[jv92]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 4:42pm

If they were to cast Brian Stokes Mitchell, he has plaid a vast majority of roles- Spanish, Black, White. Why not French?
And as someone said, there are Black Frenchmen.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 4:52pm

But, as mentioned previously, the problem presented in the libretto isn't that he is French and black - it is that he is white and that his children are of mixed race and this is not acceptible to Nellie. If he is black...what would her objection to him be -that his children are really half-white????

Updated On: 1/16/06 at 04:52 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 5:05pm

There are black Frenchmen. Nobody is saying there aren't. But Emile isn't a black Frenchman. He is white, and has children of mixed-race. IT'S THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE SHOW!

Colorblind casting worked for the concert, but won't fly in a fully staged production.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 5:05pm

I guess you're right. I'd actually rather see Brian Stokes Mithcell in an original show written for him.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 5:13pm

Why are people saying this is the "first ever" revival? I vividly remember a production of SOUTH PACIFIC at Lincoln Center that starred Florence Henderson and Giorgio Tozzi. I'm guessing that it was in '66 or '67.