[NEohioPAL]Berko review: 'SOUTH PACIFIC' (JCC)

[Roy Berko]

‘South Pacific’ Pleases Opening Night Audience at JCC 

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, America’s
premiere traditional musical theatre writers, were
social theorists and activists.  Each of their shows,
including ‘SOUTH PACIFIC,’ now being staged by the
Jewish Community Center’s Arts and Culture Division,
carries a message of societal problems and lectures on
the need for change.  This message is highlighted by
one key song in the score of each of their shows.  In
the case of ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ it is the poignant “You’ve
Got to Be Carefully Taught,” which explains that
prejudice is not inborn but is passed from generation
to generation.

The musical, based on James Michener’s ‘TALES OF THE
SOUTH PACIFIC,’ basically asks the question of whether
a young military nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, can
overcome her family taught prejudices and find
happiness with a mature French planter she met “one
enchanted evening” on a Pacific Island.  When she
finds out he was formerly married to an island native
and fathered two children, she must decide whether “to
wash that man right out of her hair.”  On another
level the tale examines another pair, American GI
Joseph Cable and the Bali Ha’i born Liat, who are also
the victims of prejudice.  The love affairs are
wrapped inside the reality of World War II when, in
1943 the United States Navy established bases in the
Solomon Islands, in preparation for an invasion
towards the Central Pacific. On one such island
Michener created a fantasy about a French planter
named Emile de Becque, whom the Navy wishes to employ
as a scout to nearby Japanese held islands. He
eventually agrees to assist and thus the story races
to it denouement.

The Broadway version of ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’  opened in
1949 and closed in 1954 after 1925 performances.  It
won the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Libretto and
Original Score and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 
Three of the show’s original cast also won Tonys. 
Ezio Pinza as best actor, Mary Martin, best actress
and Juanita Hall for best featured actress in a
musical.  In 1958 the play was made into a movie
staring Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, Ray
Walston and Juanita Hall.

The musical score, which many theatre experts believe
contains the best score ever written for an American
musical, includes such classics as, “A Cockeyed
Optimist” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There is Nothin'
Like a Dame,” “Bali Ha’I,” “Younger Than Springtime,”
and “This Nearly Was Mine.”

Musicals are the most complex of arts, combining
acting, singing, dancing, musicianship, scenic and
fabric design and construction.  It is why so few
musicals are truly outstanding, especially on the
non-professional level.  No matter how much we want to
think that our friends and relatives are “better than
Broadway,” the reality is that they usually are not.

Yes, every once in a while a local production soars. 
Yes, there are near wonders like the recent
‘URINETOWN’ at Beck Center, ‘SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD’ at
Cain Park, ‘CHORUS LINE’ at Carousel Dinner Theatre
and JCC’s award winning ‘RAGTIME,’ but those are the
exceptions.  Most local musical productions are,
“okay.”  They are pleasant experiences, with
performers and staff who try hard and give their all
to please an audience.  JCC’s ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ falls
into the latter category.  Don’t go expecting to see
another ‘RAGTIME.’  It isn’t.  Does that mean it’s
bad?  No, it just doesn’t reach the level of that
superb production.

Tom Fulton is excellent as Emile.  He creates a clear
physical and vocal character.  His rendition of “This
Nearly Was Mine” was wonderful.  Cheryl Campo’s Blood
Mary is generally on target.  Colin Cook has a nice
singing voice and has a grasp of Lt. Cable’s
motivations.  For some reason his version of “You’ve
Got to Be Carefully Taught” seemed truncated.  Since
it is the key to the show’s meaning, one must question
why that was done.  The male singing chorus and the
orchestra are superior.

The usually terrific Larry Nehring is much too
controlled as the wheeling-dealing Billis.  He doesn’t
appear to be having fun...a vital element in making
the character delightful.  Joan Ellison (Nellie) has
an excellent singing voice.  Unfortunately she often
says and sings words rather than creating meanings. 
It was difficult to accept her as a real person. 
There appeared to be little emotional connection
between Nellie and Emile.  John Lynch had trouble
creating a realist character in the pivotal role of
Captain Brackett. 

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   JCC’s ‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ is an
acceptable but not an outstanding production.  If
judged by the opening night audience those who attend
will enjoy themselves.

‘SOUTH PACIFIC’ runs through November 6 in the
Performing Arts Auditorium at Cuyahoga County
Community College ‘s Eastern Campus .  For tickets
call 216-800 766-6048 or go on line to
www.tickets.com.



Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.


	
		
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