By Andrea McCann
Washington Times-Herald
WASHINGTON — Get in out of the heat and drift away to an exotic paradise this weekend. Washington High School Choir director Scott Griffith announced the community will present the musical “South Pacific” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday in the air conditioned Washington High School auditorium. Tickets are $5 for festival seating and can be purchased at the door or in advance at Valley Optical. The story for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical, “South Pacific,” is drawn from a Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel by James A. Michener, titled “Tales of the South Pacific,” according to Griffith. “It is considered by most critics to be among the greatest musicals of the 20th century,” he said. “The original Broadway production won 10 Tony Awards, including all four acting awards.” Many of its songs went on to have a life of their own outside the musical, Griffith continued, including “Some Enchanted Evening,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” “Happy Talk,” “Bali Ha’i,” “Younger than Springtime,” and “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.” “South Pacific” is set in an island paradise during World War II, where two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, Lt. Joe Cable falls in love with an innocent Tonkinese girl, but denies himself a future with her out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realizes life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices. “Some of the main parts include Mike Gregory as Emile, Michelle Potts as Nellie, Matt Lemon as Lt. Cable, Julie Wadsworth as Bloody Mary, Steve Gregory as Brackett, Randy Archer as Harbison and Christian Meyer as Billis,” Griffith said. “We have a company that includes about 40 community members.”
