'The most operatic of musicals'

By Liem Vu, National Post

June 15, 2010

South Pacific has made its way north to Toronto.

A one-hour musical showcase for some 100 attendees was hosted yesterday morning at
the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Backed by a 25-piece orchestra, performers Jason Howard and Carmen Cusack teased the
audience by belting out hits from the Bartlett Sher-directed production, set to debut this
summer.

Working without the iconic tropical sets and Second World War-era costumes, Howard
and Cusack were undeterred, offering uninhibited renditions of Cockeyed Optimist, A
Wonderful Guy, This Nearly Was Mine and Some Enchanted Evening.

Based on the 1948 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A.
Michener, the musical debuted in 1949 and experienced a musical revival in 2008 at the
hands of Sher. It went on to win seven Tony Awards in 2008.

"Now is the time for South Pacific ... the most operatic of musicals," said Aubrey Dan,
president of Dancap Productions.

Set on a South Pacific island during the Second World War, the musical highlights issues
of family, racism, prejudice and love through the romantic relationship between
plantation-owning Frenchman, Emile de Becque, and Nellie Forbush, a wide-eyed nurse
from the Navy.

"The musical has always spoken to me. It's a thrill for me to be performing it because it's
one of the roles that I've always wanted to do," Howard said.

Sher was also on hand, and described the musical as a remedy to how "polarized and
crazy" the world had become.

The eclectic crowd was buzzing as they made their exit.

Even though the 180-minute play won best musical revival at the 2008 Tony Awards, the
lead believes a renaissance is still brewing.

"A lot of musicals today are thrown on with cute, young kids who can dance and they
don't care whether or not they can sing," said Howard. "I think this is a throwback and
that's why it's been so successful...it's like a mini-opera in many ways."

- South Pacific runs from Aug. 12 to Sept. 5 at the Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts in Toronto.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/most+operatic+musicals/3155141/story.html#ixzz0rja34HjB