The Toledo Repertoire Theatre will kick off summer and end its 82nd season with the classic Rogers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific.”
Lindsey Denham, starring as the lead, Ensign Nellie Forbush, will literally be washing her hair as she sings the unforgettable tune, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.” After two scenes onstage with wet hair and bare feet, she’ll return with dry hair and fresh makeup—that’s the magic of theatre, folks.
Bridging the gap
“This is just as relevant now as when it won the Pulitzer in 1949,” director James Norman states, “unfortunately what they were writing about in the 1940s, has not changed all that much.” Classics are timeless—although cultures evolve there are some things, for better and worse, that will never change.
While contemporary theatre is trending, many theatres in the area are producing new plays or musicals. “It’s really important to perform the older generation of musicals because it gives you a wonderfully rounded palette to pull from,” Denham states, “as a performer, you need to be able to lend yourself to both classical and contemporary genres.”
Doing it my way
Rogers and Hammerstein laid the foundation for Broadway and their works are staples in the American musical theatre canon. Norman pays homage to these gentlemen by directing true to text and not applying a conceptual filter to this Pulitzer Prize winning musical.
Norman did take the liberty of altering the length—that’s right, you won’t have to sit for 3.5 hours. “South Pacific” takes place on an island and The Rep’s stage will mimic that beach vibe.
The cast size is also smaller, allowing for a more efficient and detailed process. “The highlight of this show is the energy that this cast is bringing,” Norman says, “the nurses and the navy guys are the comic relief and the fun in the show, while the lead players carry out the dramatic points.”
Love knows no bounds
“What is fun, also has a message,” Norman says. Rogers and Hammerstein are known for creating works that socially advocate. In “South Pacific,” the driving dramatic force is racism and how it affects our ability to love.
When Nellie finds out that her love interest has children that are half Polynesian, her prejudices arise, causing her to evaluate the convictions that were instilled through social and familial conditions. As the story unfolds, Nellie happily-ever-after overcomes intolerance.
“It’s a really great cast of some Rep veterans and some new people to the theatre,” Norman quips, “it’s going to be a terrific show.”
“South Pacific” runs for three weekends beginning June 5 through June 21. 8pm Friday and Saturday, 2:30pm Sunday. $25/adults,
$23/senior, $10/ages 13+, $5/students 12 and under. The Toledo Repertoire Theatre, 16 10th St., 419-243-9277. toledorep.org
