South Pacific

On an idyllic island in the South Pacific during World War II. the musical follows two cross-cultural love stories: Nellie, a brave nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, the French owner of a plantation on the island who has two children from his late Polynesian wife. At the same time, the American lieutenant Cable falls in love with Liat, native of the island. The two Americans struggle to reconcile their own cultural prejudices with their romantic feelings, while being under the dark cloud of a war that is drawing ever closer to their island paradise.

South Pacific has become a classic thanks to the themes of love, racism and the prejudices that we carry. All of this is expressed through songs like “You've Got To Be Carefully Taught” and “Younger Than Springtime”.

Find the trailer for the 1954 film:

General information
  • Style : romance
  • Theme : Racism, War
  • year of creation : 1949
Music
  • Composer :Richard Rodgers
  • Lyricist : Oscar Hammerstein II
  • Librettist : Oscar Hammerstein II & Joshua Logan
  • Author (other) : James A. Michener
  • famous songs : "Dites-Moi" "A Cockeyed Optimist" "Twin Soliloquies" "Some Enchanted Evening" "Bloody Mary" "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" "Bali Ha'i" "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair ""I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy" "Younger Than Springtime" "Some Enchanted Evening" "Happy Talk" "Honey Bun" "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" "This Nearly Was Mine"
  • Famous performers : Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, Ray Walston, Juanita Hall, Glenn Close, Harry Connick, Jr.,
kinships
  • Inspired by another work : The musical is inspired by the collection of short stories "Tales of the South Pacific" by James A. Michener, collection which won the Pulitzer Prize.
  • Exists in film : The musical was adapted into a film in 1958 by Joshua Logan. There were Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, Ray Walston and Juanita Hall. In 2001, a television movie was made starring Glenn Close and Harry Connick, Jr.
Awards
  • Appointments and Awards : The original 1950 production won 10 Tony Awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The show has had many revivals, including that of 2008 which won 7 Tony Awards
  • Number of years on display : 5
  • Number of performances : 1925
  • anecdotes : The songs from the musical quickly became "standards". The Broadway cast album sold over a million copies! Mary Martin, who played Nellie, washed her hair 8 times a week on stage during the song "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair".
Currently on stage