Casting Announcement for Bushnell Engagement of Rodgers & Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC
Bob Boyett and NETworks Presentations announce casting for the National Tour of The Lincoln Center Theater Production of Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein’s prize-winning musical SOUTH PACIFIC, directed by Bartlett Sher playing The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford April 20-25, 2010, as part of The Hartford Financial Services Group Broadway Series. Ticket prices begin at $15 and are currently on sale at The Bushnell Box Office, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, online at www.bushnell.org or by calling (860) 987-5900. Discounts for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (860) 987-5959. For more information on the production, please visit www.SouthPacificOnTour.com.
The National Touring Company of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC will be led by Rod Gilfry (Emile de Becque) and Carmen Cusack (Nellie Forbush), with Anderson Davis (Lt. Cable), Matthew Saldivar (Luther Billis), Keala Settle (Bloody Mary), Gerry Becker (Capt. Brackett), Peter Rini (Cmdr. Harbison), Sumie Maeda (Liat), Rusty Ross (Professor), original 2008 Broadway cast member Genson Blimline (Stewpot), Christina Carrera (Ngana) and CJ Palma (Jerome).
The ensemble will include Christopher Carl, Eric L. Christian (from the Broadway production), Jacqueline Colmer, Jeremy Davis, Mike Evariste (from the Broadway production), Kate Fahrner, Nicholas Galbraith, Alexis G.B. Holt, Chad Jennings, Christopher Johnstone, Kristie Kerwin, Jodi Kimura, Joe Langworth, Cathy Newman, Diane Phelan, John Pinto Jr, Travis Robertson, Josh Rouah, Kristen J. Smith, Matt Stokes, Gregory Williams and Victor Wisehart.
Critics laud high praise for the National Tour:
- “Electric! This is the South Pacific we’ve been waiting for.” – San Francisco Chronicle
- “It is a tribute to the sublime beauty of this musical, filled with gorgeous voices and astonishing emotional depth.” – Chicago Sun-Times
- “Bartlett Sher’s staging of South Pacific reveals, intensifies and clarifies the work of Rodgers & Hammerstein.” – Seattle Times
- “Superbly sung and powerfully acted, the touring cast of the magnificent Lincoln Center Theater restoration of South Pacific is the equal of the New York team.” – Houston Chronicle
Carmen Cusack “is a sublime “knucklehead” Nellie” (Palm Beach Arts) as she “achieves a delicious balance of sweet and smart” (San Francisco Examiner); and “evokes the spirit and style of the original, Mary Martin” (Dallas Morning News).
Rod Gilfry is “impeccable in his role of Emile de Becque” (Florida Today) as he “woos the audience” (San Francisco Chronicle) with “his voice of pure gold” (Houston Chronicle).
Anderson Davis is “rich in exposed passion” (San Francisco Chronicle) as Lt. Joseph Cable and his “clear tenor has strength and innocence” (Charlotte Observer).
Matthew Saldivar is “energetic” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “wonderfully natural” (Chicago Sun-Times) as Luther Billis.
Keala Settle is “boisterously funny” (Houston Chronicle) giving a “dynamic performance illuminating the drive, desperation and devotion that inspires Bloody Mary.” (Daily Herald)
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC swept the 2008 Tony Awards®, winning seven honors including Best Musical Revival and Best Director for Bartlett Sher. This breathtaking new production is still selling-out at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in an open-ended run on Broadway, lauded by the critics as “Simply Wonderful! Beguiling Theatrical Magic!” (New York Post), “Ravishing and Overwhelming” (Variety) and “Rapturous and Revelatory!” (The New York Times).
Based on James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.
Set on a tropical island during World War II, the musical tells the sweeping romantic story of two couples -- US Navy nurse Nellie Forbush and French plantation owner Emile de Becque and Navy Airman Joe Cable and a young local native girl Liat -- and how their happiness is threatened by the realities of war and by their own prejudices. Considered by many the finest musical ever written, the score’s songs include such classics as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “Younger Than Springtime,” “Bali Ha’i,” “There is Nothin’ Like A Dame,” “This Nearly Was Mine” and “A Wonderful Guy.”
The lavish new production features a cast of 34, musical staging by Christopher Gattelli, sets by Michael Yeargan (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), costumes by Catherine Zuber (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), lighting by Donald Holder (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®), sound by Scott Lehrer (winner of the 2008 Tony Award®) and music direction by Ted Sperling. A full orchestra of 26 members – the largest orchestra of any touring Broadway production – will perform the original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett (winner of a Special 2008 Tony Award®) and dance and incidental music arranged by Trude Rittmann.
For more information on the production, please visit www.SouthPacificOnTour.com. Become a fan on Facebook (South Pacific on Tour).
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BARTLETT SHER (Director) Lincoln Center Theater: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, South Pacific (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Awake and Sing (Tony nomination), The Light in the Piazza (Tony nomination). Artistic Director of Seattle’s Intiman Theatre; credits there include: the world premieres of Prayer for My Enemy and Singing Forest by Craig Lucas (both also Long Wharf Theatre) and Nickel and Dimed; plays by Chekhov, Wilder, Shakespeare, Goldoni and Tony Kushner. Opera: Roméo et Juliette (Salzburg Festival), The Barber of Seville (Metropolitan Opera), Mourning Becomes Electra (Seattle Opera and New York City Opera). New York: Cymbeline (2001 Callaway Award for Best Director; first American Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Company), Waste (2000 Best Play Obie), Don Juan (all TFANA). He is a member of the TCG Board.
ROD GILFRY (Emile de Becque) The Grammy-nominated baritone has created leading roles in five major operas, most notably: André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley Kowalski; San Francisco). His discography includes over 25 recordings. Other credits: Busoni’s Doktor Faust (Doktor Faust; San Francisco), Britten’s Billy Budd (Billy Budd; Geneva, Paris, London, Dallas, Los Angeles), Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni; Los Angeles, Zurich, Lyon, London, Parma, Dallas, Minneapolis, Amsterdam), Maw’s Sophie’s Choice (Nathan; London, Washington D.C.); Alfano’s Cyrano (DeGuiche; Valencia, opposite Placido Domingo), Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise (Saint Francois; Amsterdam, London), Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella (Joe; Los Angeles, Chicago), Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot (Lancelot; Chicago). http://www.gilfry.com
CARMEN CUSACK (Nellie Forbush) from Houston, TX, has spent the last two years playing Elphaba in Wicked (US National tour, Chicago and Australia productions). Her career prior was based in England. Recent West End credits include: Les Misérables (Fantine; UK, US & Shanghai), The Secret Garden (Rose; Royal Shakespeare Company), Personals (Kim), Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens (Chesty Prospects), Over the Rainbow (Eva Cassidy; UK & Ireland) and The Phantom of the Opera (Christine; UK National Tour). http://www.carmencusack.com