Set against the dramatic background of an idyllic South Pacific island during WWII, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific intertwines the themes of romance, duty, and prejudice to create a story that is all at once hilarious, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. Based on the anecdotes of a real-life U.S. Navy commander who was stationed on an island, the musical follows two intercultural love stories: Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, a French plantation owner on the island who has two children from his late Polynesian wife; at the same time, U.S. Lieutenant Cable falls for a beautiful island native named Liat. Both Americans find themselves struggling to reconcile their own cultural prejudices with their amorous feelings, all the while under the dark cloud of a war that is coming ever closer to their island paradise.
"South Pacific" opens February 9th and plays Friday to Sunday through February 25th. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm.
“Heather Buck is bewitching as Ensign Nellie Forbush, navigating the giddy turmoil of falling in love while combatting her reactionary loathing for mixed-race children that she knows is wrong, bringing her character into a place of acceptance.”
“Buck and O’Neill lead the show with their terrific vocals and lovable characterizations. O’Neill’s velvet bass sends the audience swooning, and Buck’s got the spirited belting needed for Nellie. ”
“Buck and O’Neill are in excellent voice and character with O’Neill’s operatic training put to good use here.”