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South Pacific 1951

Opened: November 1, 1951

South Pacific - 1951 West End History , Info & More

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Catherine Street London WC2B 5JB London

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.


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SOUTH PACIFIC and SOUND OF MUSIC Star Martha Wright Passes Away at 92
by Nicole Rosky - Mar 10, 2016


According to the New York Times, Broadway actress Martha Wright passed away last week in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She was 92 years old.

South Pacific History

Other Productions of South Pacific

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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