Title: 

South Pacific

Director:

Laurie O’Brien

Show Dates:

August 9 – 11 and 14 -18

Synopsis:

Get out your sun-block and cruise to exotic south sea islands with World War II Navy men and nurses who, amidst the hilarity and camaraderie of base life, personally struggle to cope with abrupt changes in their lives and attempt to overcome prejudices

Sponsor:

Freeman Energy

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Nellie Forbush:

Elizabeth Donathan

Emile deBecque:

Steve Williams

Bloody Mary:

Karla Joell Butcher

Lt. Joseph Cable:

Rodger Baldwin

Luther Billis:

Dennis Rendleman

Liat

Cristina Duarte-Noe

Capt. Brackett:

Jack Connors

Cmdr. Harbison

Gil Opferman

Stewpot:

John O'Connor

Professor:

Duane Fant

O’Brien:

Jon Emmerich

Lt. Buzz Adams:

Charles Hafner

Ens. Murphy:

Suzanne Kell

Ens. MacGregor:

Pam Brown

Abner: (Seabee Soloist):

Jim Hepworth

Emile’s Children:

Ashwin Nair, Jacy Carpenter, Laurel Neopschlan, and Quin Schnorf Elmore

Dancers:

Rachel Friedman, Jenna Nickelson, Holly Dallavis, Dani Ferratier, Jenny Owens

Nurses:

Valerie Ann Vuylsteke,  Nichole Grasch, Kathleen O’Brien, Casey Meyer,

Jennifer Vost, and Emily Cheney

Sailors:

Grant Estes, Daniel Thompson, Olumide (Ollie) Idowu, John Sivak, Timothy  Logan,  Jacob Jones, and Cory Blissett

Ysebel (Emile’s Servant):

Marilou Gil McQuillan

Yeoman Herbert Quale:

Drew Wancket

Sailor McCaffrey:

Steve Krampitz

Rynno:

Richard Reinertson

Marine:

Gene Beler

Director:

Laurie O’Brien

Assistant Director:

Leigh Ann Smith

Choreographer: 

Kathy Wagner

Vocal Director:

Tom Heintzelman

Orchestra Director:

Dia Langellier

Accompanist:

Roger Streu

Producer:

Scott Viniard

Set Designer:

Edward Smith

Master Builders:

George Tankersley, Tom Maguire, and Steve Button

Costumer:

Phyllis Maynerich

Costume Assistance:

Marge Roth and Nancy Whalen

Make-up and Hair:

Diane Hoots

Production Coordinator: 

Burnell Heinecke

Lighting Design:

Rob DeCroix

Stage Manager:

Dennis O’Brien

Properties:

Stephanie Hobrack

Properties Assistant:

Cate Sheehan

Director’s Notes:

            By:  Laurie O’Brien

South Pacific is the story of how two very different people confront their own prejudices in a world turned upside down by war.  Nellie and Lt. Cable are not alone in this struggle — thousands of other nurses, soldiers, sailors and Marines from all over America were thrown into circumstances none of them could have foreseen.  Along with the nurses and sailors there were the native Polynesians and Tonkinese, the displaced Frenchmen and the seabees.  The seabees were construction battalions (C.B.’s) from the Naval Construction Regiment.  This regiment was created after Pearl Harbor when it was realized that the Navy had no units to build the airstrips and docks that would be needed in the war.  The Navy tried to recruit men with construction experience, so the average seabee was much older than the average sailor.  Many seabees had left families back home.  Take these disparate groups and throw them into the midst of a war of waiting, never knowing when or where the Japanese could strike next.  Add the South Pacific itself with its ever changing vistas of sea, sky and islands, then mix in the humidity, heat, insects, endless skin rashes, fungi and strange diseases and what do you get?  A clash of cultures and continents that irrevocably changed the world and everyone in it.  Every one of these men and women had to face this chaos without the familiar supports of home and family.  Some of them were successful and some were not.  We hope we do them justice.