South Pacific

Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair

My all-time favorite musical from childhood gets a revival at Lincoln Center's Beaumont Theater. I'm so happy! Flashback - listening to the 1958 recording with Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi, or at least I think it was Brazzi. My sister and I would put on little shows for the parents - Sound of Music, etc. - but South Pacific was my favorite, wearing towels on our heads and having Polynesian fun. We'd dance about on the fireplace hearth which made for a nice little stage and perform to the couch-bound audience. Yikes! We must have been awful.

So here I am in New York seeing my first live performance of this classic Rogers & Hammerstein musical. Kelli O'Hara plays the young Ensign Nellie Forebush and Paulo Szot plays the suave Frenchman Emile de Becque. The stage is set, the orchestra nicely nestled beneath a circular stage which retracts back for theatrical effect. Sailors, nurses, pin-up Vargas girl style, a young lieutenant and an exotic native girl fall in love, all set against the turmoil of World War II ... ah, such romantic story. Matthew Morrison plays the hunky Lt. Cable and I was very happy to see the director give him ample opportunity to show of his fine physique. Loretta Ables Sayre gives a ribald rendition of Bloody Mary and the enlisted boys sure know how to fill the stage and sound space with energy. The only slight disappointment was in Kelli O'Hara's performance which I found a bit too reserved and her projection a little soft. I did worry about her getting shocked during the shampoo scene and thought I heard the microphone pop once. I hope she gets hazard pay!

But the most savory element of the production was Paulo Szot. I just couldn't keep my eyes and ears calm when he was on stage. His projection and masculinity just saturated the air. Checking the liner notes I realized why I might be more inclined to connect to his performance over the other talented Broadway performers - he comes from an opera background! This truly made his vocalization seem so much more powerful than the theatrical performers who can sing beautifully but tend to let the microphones help with projection. I just hope Szot holds onto his beautiful voice - most opera performers only perform once or twice a week, tops!

So grab your gal or guy and down a Mai-Tai before heading out to one of the best revivals on Broadway! You'll have a Tiki good time.