South Pacific / Looking Back at Northland Performing Arts Center

Cabot Rea stars as Emile de Becque in a special production of this rarely performed classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical.

Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener. Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile's proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he's fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe's life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.

The art exhibit "Looking Back: a Retrospective of the Work of Kojo Kamau" will be presented in the lobby during the show by Otterbein University. Tickets are $25 and $20 (65+ and 16 and under). A separate $15 ticket (including beer, wine, soft drinks and appetizers) is required for a public pre-show Gala (6:30pm) on Oct. 20.

Show dates and times are October 14(8pm), 15(8pm), 16(2pm), 20(7:30pm), 21(8pm), 22(8pm), and 23(2pm). Tickets are available online at tiktz.com/southpacific and by phone at (614)262-SHOW(7469).