Port Angeles Light Opera Association
P.O. Box 327, Port Angeles, WA 98362 - (360) 457-5630
Port Angeles Light Opera Association
P.O. Box 327, Port Angeles, WA 98362 - (360) 457-5630
presents
South Pacific
1991
Synopsis
On a South Sea Island during World War II Nellie Forbush, a young Navy nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, meets and falls in love with a gallant, middle-aged Frenchman, Emile de Becque. Emile is a planter and has lived on the island for twenty-five years. When he proposes to Nellie he confesses that the reason he had to leave France was because he killed a man -the town bully who deserved to die. Nellie seems able to accept this explanation and promises to think about his proposal.
Also stationed on the island is a group of sailors, seabees and marines, who are obviously bored and sorely in need of female companionship. Souvenir collecting is about the only active pastime and it has created an intense rivalry between Seabee Luther Billis, who has cornered the market in everything from grass skirts to shrunken heads, and Bloody Mary, the local Tonkinese dealer in such trophies.
Lieutenant Joseph Cable, a handsome young Marine, arrives with an assignment to persuade Emile de Becque, who is familiar with the nearby islands, to accompany him on a dangerous secret mission. Their task is to hide out on a Japanese-held island, watch for enemy ships and convey this information to their own pilots, who will then use this first hand intelligence to attack the Japanese convoys. Nellie's friendship with Emile is known to the island's Commander and she is asked to obtain all the information she can about the Frenchman.
Meanwhile, Joe Cable has been persuaded to take a boat trip to the mysterious island of Bali Ha' i to have a good time. There Bloody Mary introduces him to her beautiful daughter, Liat, and Joe falls in love with her .
Confused about her feelings for Emile, Nellie tries to "wash him outa her hair" without much success. He invites her to dinner at his house so that his friends may meet her. Nellie accepts and has a wonderful time at Emile's house. She enjoys meeting his friends and all seems right with her world and her love until she learns that the two adorable half - Polynesian children she sees there are Emile's. Their mother, now dead, was a native woman. This is more than Nellie's small-town upbringing permits her to accept and she runs from Emile in her embarrassment and horror .
At the same time Joe Cable, despite his deep love for Liat, is caught in a similar trap of his own prejudices and he refuses to marry her .
Emile agrees to accompany Joe on the mission since he now feels that all he cares about has been taken from him. They are successful for a time, sending back many useful messages, but eventually they are discovered and Joe is killed. Emile manages to return safely to find that love has conquered prejudice. Nellie is waiting for him -with his children.
Scenes
The Place: On two islands in the South Pacific during World War II.
There is a one week lapse of time between the two Acts.
ACT ONE
Scene 1 Emile de Becque's terrace
Scene 2 Company Street
Scene 3 The Luther Billis Laundry
Scene 4 Company Street
Scene 5 Capt. Brackett's office
Scene 6 Company Street
Scene 7 Another part of the beach
Scene 8 Company Street
Scene 9 Capt. Brackett's office
Scene 10 Bali Ha'i arrival
Scene 11 Uat's Hut
Scene 12 Bali Ha 'i departure
Scene 13 Emile de Becque's terrace
INTERMISSION
Refreshments by North Olympic Youth Symphony
ACT TWO
Scene 1 The stage during the Thanksgiving Follies
Scene 2 Back stage
Scene 3 The stage during the Thanksgiving Follies
Scene 4 Back stage
Scene 5 Landing strip
Scene 6 Radio Shack
Scene 7 Pilot's Briefing
Scene 8 Radio Shack
Scene 9 Company Street
Scene 10 Another part of the beach
Scene 11 Operation Alligator
Scene 12 Emile de Becque's terrace
Production Team
Artistic Director & Music Director ....................
Dewey Ehling
Stage Director & Choreographer ....................
Greg Scherer
Scene Designer & Set Technician
.................... Laura Hibbs
Lighting Designer & Technician ....................
Lew Bartholomew
Costume Designer .................... Kathy Duff
Costume Designer .................... Eva Gillett
Properties Manager .................... Jane Shefler
Stage Manager .................... Patricia Pratt
Volunteer Coordinator .................... Molly
Hallett
Administrative Assistant .................... Penny
Beane
Vivian Beran, Jenna Fisher, Kathi Good, Molly Hallett, Naomi Denhart, Robin
McHattie
Carol Philpott, Heather Jackson, Martha McNeill
Cast of Characters
Ngana .................... Erika Ralston
Jerome .................... Ross Hallett
Henry .................... John Porter
Ensign Nellie Forbush .................... Kathi Good
Emile de Becque .................... Gert Muser
Bloody Mary .................... Penny Pemberton
Bloody Mary's Assistant .................... William
Melville
Abner .................... Terry Kennedy
Luther Billis .................... Don Scott
Stewpot .................... Lance Rasmussen
Professor .................... Justin Barrett
LT. Joseph Cable, USMC .................... John Owen
Capt. George Brackett, USN .................... David
Meyer
Cmdr. William Harbison, USN .................... Jim
Hallett
LT. Buzz Adams .................... Steve
Chamberlain
Seabees .................... Bill Anabel, Harry
Jackson, Larry Smith
French Girls .................... Jenny Albertson, Susan
MacDonald, Erin O'Brien, Sonja Smith, Kati Sundt
Islanders .................... Julie Anderson, Nicholas Anderson, Kim Hall, Andrea McHattie, Rachel Wishik
Nuns .................... Vivian Beran, B.J. Sorensen
South Pacific Orchestra
Dewey w. Ehling, Music Director & Conductor Betty Hanson, Concertmaster
Violins - Karen Cross, Kate Dean, Trudy Greenside, Betty Hanson *, Jackie Koon, Pen Mannix, Esther Pringle, Virginia Ray
Viola - Karen Hart, Jennifer Koon, Nico Snel *
Cello - Laura Barrett*, Susan Davis, Michael Doyle, Elizabeth Reandeau
Bass - Derek Kilmer
Harp - Clare Bender
Percussion - Doug Beeler, Marcia Switzer*
Flute / Piccolo - Chelsea Cragun, Kristine McClaskey
Oboe / English Horn - Jackie La Rue
Clarinet - Walt Kunnecke*, John Musser
French Horn - Stephanie Andrassy, Jo Anne Seaborg*, Carol Thompson
Trumpet - Ed Donahue*, Harold Elmer, Bran Sundt
Trombone - Harald Petersen, George Pettit
* Principal