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From The Morning Call --
April 6, 2005
Pennsylvania Playhouse's 'South Pacific' a
worthwhile trip back in time
By Dave Howell
Special to The Morning Call
Weather may have made the real South
Pacific a place to avoid. Fortunately, that is not true about the musical
now running at Pennsylvania Playhouse.
''South Pacific'' by Rodgers and Hammerstein takes place in the Pacific
Theater of World War II, where nurse Nellie Forbush (Rebecca Pieper) falls
in love with French planter Emile de Becque (Craig Daniels). In a parallel
story, Lt. Joseph Cable (Brad Zuercher) falls in love with Liat (Eva Wasko),
daughter of native trader Bloody Mary (Sonia Aviles). This being a war
story, there is a large cast of servicemen and nurses for choruses.
''South Pacific'' is, strangely, both dated and progressive. A few of the
love scenes are a bit saccharine, and songs like ''Happy Talk'' and ''I'm
Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair'' are products of their time (the
show opened on Broadway in 1949).
Yet it has a powerful message against racism, which is the conflict in the
love stories. The song ''You've Got to be Carefully Taught'' (referring to
prejudice) has lost none of its power. Rodgers and Hammerstein resisted
attempts to remove it for the 1958 film version.
The cast at the Playhouse is uniformly good, with particularly fine
singing on the ensemble numbers. Pieper plays Forbush realistically, as an
insecure but sweet person confused by events and her own emotions. Daniels
is magnificent as de Becque, making Forbush's love for a much older man
seem natural.
Gene Connelly is wonderfully hammy as the Sgt. Bilko-like Luther Billis.
Sonia Aviles plays a modern version of Bloody Mary, making her smart and
independent, without sacrificing the ham. Julianna Squerrini and Alec
Lafavore are appealing as Emile's children.
This production has a cast of 27, 24 scene changes and is two hours and 45
minutes long, with a short intermission. Thanks to directors Clair Freeman
(book) and Pam Knappenberger (music), the pace never lags.
The sets by Pete Sanchez are effectively sparse to facilitate the quick
changes. The live musical accompaniment is an interesting combination of
Knappenberger on piano and Matt Stein on percussion.
The only criticism might be about a few points where the singing is a bit
off, but not nearly enough to stop you from thoroughly enjoying the show.
This trip to the Pacific is well worth taking.
''South Pacific,'' 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through
April 17, Pennsylvania Playhouse, Illick's Mill Road, Bethlehem. Tickets:
$18; $15, seniors and children under 19 on Friday and Sunday.
610-865-6665,
http://www.paplayhouse.org/tix.htm .
Dave Howell is a freelance writer.
Jodi Duckett,
Arts and Entertainment Editor
jodi.duckett@mcall.com
610-820-6704
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