77-year-old musical ‘South Pacific’ returns
For songs that are familiar and among the most beautiful ever written, you will not go wrong with the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “South Pacific.” This must be the reason why the presentation by the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music on its 80th anniversary celebration last February proved to be such a wonderful surprise. That is the reason why it will be back from Sept. 12 to 20 with the same talented cast at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell.
Returning to play the American nurse Nellie Forbush is singer and actress Ciara Sotto, while singer, musical director and composer John Meer Vera Perez is also back as the French planter Emile Dubuque. A solid supporting cast of performers joins the two leads, including Nenen Espina as Bloody Mary and Sean Nolasco as Lt. Joseph Cable. The music will be played by the UST Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Bartolome.
Filipino creativity in musical theater is reaching new highs nowadays. In fact, two new originals are opening in September and both of these boast an all-Filipino soundtrack. “Muli,” which is about love and loss and moving forward, will run from Sept. 11 to 27 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in BGC.
“Muli” comes from writer Charissa Pammit with Andrei Pamintuan as director. The music is by singer and songwriter Nica del Rosario and musical director and composer Matthew Chang. It stars award-winning actress and singer Kakki Teodoro with pop star Janine Teñoso as her daughter.
The other one is “Bongga Ka ‘Day, the Annie Batungbakal Musical,” featuring the music of the most iconic of Manila Sound bands, Hotdog. It is written by Liza Magtoto and directed by Philippine theater stalwart, Chris Millado, “Bongga Ka ‘Day” opens on Sept. 18 and will run all weekends until October at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
The cast includes Sam Concepcion, KD Estrada, Jeff Moses, Anthony Rosaldo, Atasha Muhlach, Jackie Lou Blanco and John Lapuz. The music will, of course, include Original Pilipino Music (OPM) classics like Bongga Ka ‘Day, Annie Batungbakal, Pers Lab, Lan
git Na Naman, Beh! Buti Nga and many others.
Given those choices why should one bother with a 77-year-old foreign musical like “South Pacific?” Why, indeed? Maybe because it is always gratifying to look back and remember the memories that gave our creatives today the inspiration to come up with their own musicals. And I am sure that the acclaimed “South Pacific” provided a lot of that.
The tandem of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II was already the toast of Broadway in 1949. They were enjoying unprecedented fame, thanks to hit groundbreaking shows like “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.” “South Pacific” was their third venture together, and it was both a box-office and critical success.
“South Pacific” is made up of stories from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by James Michener, Tales from the South Pacific. The focus is on two love stories, both of which grapple with racial prejudice while on an island in the South Pacific during World War II.
One is about the American nurse and the French plantation owner with mixed-race children. The other one is about an American soldier and a Tonkinese girl. With these in the plot, Rodgers and Hammerstein not only entertained, they also sent out a strong message against racism.
And for that, Rodgers and Hammerstein created one of their most beautiful and enduring scores. Among the songs are Some Enchanted Evening, I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy, Bali Hai, Younger than Springtime, You’ve Got to be Taught, There is Nothing Like a Dame, Happy Talk and others.
It is a sure bet that “Muli” would be affecting and “Bongga ka ‘Day” would be tremendous fun. In between those two, though, it would also be such a joy to watch ‘South Pacific’ and go home singing ‘Some enchanted evening…’”
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