South Pacific (musical): Difference between revisions
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'''''South Pacific''''' is a [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] [[musical]] that opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, and ran for more than five years. It is generally considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time<ref> Critic John Simon writes: "Many are the knowledgeable and discriminating people for whom Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, brilliantly co-written and staged by Joshua Logan, was the greatest musical of all." http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=533001</ref> <ref> http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/musical012.html | '''''South Pacific''''' is a [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] [[musical]] that opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, and ran for more than five years. It is generally considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time<ref> Critic John Simon writes: "Many are the knowledgeable and discriminating people for whom Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, brilliantly co-written and staged by Joshua Logan, was the greatest musical of all." http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=533001</ref> <ref> http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/musical012.html | ||
"With ''South Pacific'', Rodgers and Hammerstein rose to new towering heights of success, both commercially and artistically, following their triumph with ''Oklahoma!'' and ''Carousel''. There was hardly any question in anybody's mind at the première performance of ''South Pacific'' that this was a classic of the musical theatre of the stature of ''Oklahoma!'' and ''Carousel''. The veteran producer Arthur Hammerstein called it the greatest musical show Broadway had ever seen, perfect in every respect. The critic Richard Watts, Jr., described it as 'a thrilling and exultant musical play, an utterly captivating work of theatrical art'."</ref> and a number of its songs, | "With ''South Pacific'', Rodgers and Hammerstein rose to new towering heights of success, both commercially and artistically, following their triumph with ''Oklahoma!'' and ''Carousel''. There was hardly any question in anybody's mind at the première performance of ''South Pacific'' that this was a classic of the musical theatre of the stature of ''Oklahoma!'' and ''Carousel''. The veteran producer Arthur Hammerstein called it the greatest musical show Broadway had ever seen, perfect in every respect. The critic Richard Watts, Jr., described it as 'a thrilling and exultant musical play, an utterly captivating work of theatrical art'."</ref> and "for a generation of postwar theatergoers, it was cherished like almost no other American musical."<ref>''Time'' magazine, April 3, 2008, [http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1727758,00.html]</ref> A number of its songs, particularly ''Some Enchanted Evening'', ''Bali Ha'i'', and ''Younger than Springtime,'' have become worldwide standards, although nearly every song in the show is still known today. It swept the [[Tony]] awards at the time and also received the [[Pulitzer Prize]] for Drama in 1950. The play is based upon two short stories by [[James A. Michener]] from his book ''[[Tales of the South Pacific]]'', which itself was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. The original cast starred [[Mary Martin]] as Nellie Forbush, the heroine, and opera star [[Ezio Pinza]] as Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner. Also in the cast were [[Juanita Hall]], [[Myron McCormick]], [[Betta St. John]], and [[William Tabbert]]. The music was by [[Richard Rodgers]] and the lyrics by [[Oscar Hammerstein II]]. Brooks Atkinson, the influential theater critic of the ''New York Times'', called it a "magnificent musical drama" and found it a "tenderly beautiful idyll of genuine people inexplicably tossed together in a strange corner of the world."<ref>His complete review of April 8, 1949, can be found at [http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/theater/South_Pacific.pdf]</ref> He also wrote, with perfect prescience, that "If the country still has the taste to appreciate a masterly love song, 'Some Enchanted Evening' ought to become reasonably immortal." At the time it closed, after 1,925 performances, "South Pacific" was the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history. <ref>''The World Almanac and Book of Facts'', 1966, page 137</ref> | ||
In spite of its great initial success on Broadway, it was not until 59 years later that a major revival was seen in New York City. A new production, starring [[Kelli O'Hara]] and [[Paulo Szot]] opened on April 3, 2008 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in [[Lincoln Center]]. It was warmly reviewed by Ben Brantley of ''The New York Times'', who wrote, "I know we're not supposed to expect perfection in this imperfect world, but I'm darned if I can find one serious flaw in this production." He finishes by quoting Brooks Atkinson's description of six decades earlier and adds, "I think a lot of us had forgotten that's what 'South Pacific' is really about. In making the past feel unconditionally present, this production restores a glorious gallery of genuine people who were only waiting to be resurrected."<ref>"Optimist Awash in the Tropics," by Ren Brantley, in the "Weekend Arts" section of the ''New York Times'', page B1, April 4, 2008. The full review can be found at [http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/theater/reviews/04paci.html]</ref> | In spite of its great initial success on Broadway, it was not until 59 years later that a major revival was seen in New York City. A new production, starring [[Kelli O'Hara]] and [[Paulo Szot]] opened on April 3, 2008 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in [[Lincoln Center]]. It was warmly reviewed by Ben Brantley of ''The New York Times'', who wrote, "I know we're not supposed to expect perfection in this imperfect world, but I'm darned if I can find one serious flaw in this production." He finishes by quoting Brooks Atkinson's description of six decades earlier and adds, "I think a lot of us had forgotten that's what 'South Pacific' is really about. In making the past feel unconditionally present, this production restores a glorious gallery of genuine people who were only waiting to be resurrected."<ref>"Optimist Awash in the Tropics," by Ren Brantley, in the "Weekend Arts" section of the ''New York Times'', page B1, April 4, 2008. The full review can be found at [http://theater2.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/theater/reviews/04paci.html]</ref> | ||
Revision as of 13:01, 6 April 2008
South Pacific is a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, and ran for more than five years. It is generally considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time[1] [2] and "for a generation of postwar theatergoers, it was cherished like almost no other American musical."[3] A number of its songs, particularly Some Enchanted Evening, Bali Ha'i, and Younger than Springtime, have become worldwide standards, although nearly every song in the show is still known today. It swept the Tony awards at the time and also received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. The play is based upon two short stories by James A. Michener from his book Tales of the South Pacific, which itself was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. The original cast starred Mary Martin as Nellie Forbush, the heroine, and opera star Ezio Pinza as Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner. Also in the cast were Juanita Hall, Myron McCormick, Betta St. John, and William Tabbert. The music was by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Brooks Atkinson, the influential theater critic of the New York Times, called it a "magnificent musical drama" and found it a "tenderly beautiful idyll of genuine people inexplicably tossed together in a strange corner of the world."[4] He also wrote, with perfect prescience, that "If the country still has the taste to appreciate a masterly love song, 'Some Enchanted Evening' ought to become reasonably immortal." At the time it closed, after 1,925 performances, "South Pacific" was the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history. [5]
In spite of its great initial success on Broadway, it was not until 59 years later that a major revival was seen in New York City. A new production, starring Kelli O'Hara and Paulo Szot opened on April 3, 2008 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center. It was warmly reviewed by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, who wrote, "I know we're not supposed to expect perfection in this imperfect world, but I'm darned if I can find one serious flaw in this production." He finishes by quoting Brooks Atkinson's description of six decades earlier and adds, "I think a lot of us had forgotten that's what 'South Pacific' is really about. In making the past feel unconditionally present, this production restores a glorious gallery of genuine people who were only waiting to be resurrected."[6]
References
- ↑ Critic John Simon writes: "Many are the knowledgeable and discriminating people for whom Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, brilliantly co-written and staged by Joshua Logan, was the greatest musical of all." http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=533001
- ↑ http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/musical012.html "With South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein rose to new towering heights of success, both commercially and artistically, following their triumph with Oklahoma! and Carousel. There was hardly any question in anybody's mind at the première performance of South Pacific that this was a classic of the musical theatre of the stature of Oklahoma! and Carousel. The veteran producer Arthur Hammerstein called it the greatest musical show Broadway had ever seen, perfect in every respect. The critic Richard Watts, Jr., described it as 'a thrilling and exultant musical play, an utterly captivating work of theatrical art'."
- ↑ Time magazine, April 3, 2008, [1]
- ↑ His complete review of April 8, 1949, can be found at [2]
- ↑ The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1966, page 137
- ↑ "Optimist Awash in the Tropics," by Ren Brantley, in the "Weekend Arts" section of the New York Times, page B1, April 4, 2008. The full review can be found at [3]
Sources
The World Almanac and Book of Facts, New York, 1966, New York World-Telegram