South Pacific: half theater, half concert

By Jasmine Agnes T. Cruz
Theater/Concert
South Pacific in Concert
Sept. 12 and 19, 8 p.m.
Newport Performing Arts Theatre,
Resorts World Manila, Pasay City

IN THE PHILIPPINES, when someone does a Broadway concert, it is often a hodge-podge of songs from different productions, said veteran actress and director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. But in New York, Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo was able to watch concerts that focused on one Broadway musical. This made her think, why aren’t we doing this at home?

She took matters into her own hands and now Resorts World Manila (RWM) is presenting Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific in Concert, which she is directing. There will be dialog that will serve as a lead-in to the songs, and background visuals shown on the giant theater’s LED screens, but there will be no costumes and no set. “It will be all about the music,” said Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo.

The show is based on the 1949 original production which won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Male Performer, Female Performer, Supporting Male Performer, Supporting Female Performer, Director, Book and Score. In 1950, the musical won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, just the second musical to do since 1932.

The full musical has been staged several times in Manila, but this will be the first time here that the story is told in concert. The logic behind doing concert versions of musicals is that some are hard to stage in full, while some are really old and lengthy but have incredible music, said Colin Kerr, RWM’s chief entertainment officer, during a press conference on Aug. 17. He explained that if the production wants to cast big stars this can be difficult as they often have busy schedules — one or two concerts are easier to commit to rather than a full theatrical production that often has many more performances.

When it comes to South Pacific in particular, the fact that it is about racial discrimination also makes it hard to cast, added Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo. If the American characters and the Pacific Islanders all look alike, then that would seem odd. In a concert, she said that one can cast anybody instead of casting according to type.

So with this production, Resorts World promises to all the from the original Broadway musical: “Bali Hai,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There is Nothing Like a Dame,” “Happy Talk,” “Younger than Springtime,” “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy,” “Cockeyed Optimist,” “Bloody Mary,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” “Honey Bun,” “This Nearly was Mine,” and more. These songs will be sung by Joanna Ampil who will play American Navy Nurse Nellie Forbush, Mark Bautista as US Marine Officer Lt. Joseph Cable, Ima Castro as the enterprising native Bloody Mary, and John Meer Vera Perez as the French expatriate plantation owner Emile De Becque.

“The music is just soaring,” said Mr. Perez. “It makes you want to believe in love, that there’s the possibility that we can experience this sublime level of bliss.”

Their performances will be made more compelling because they will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra: The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Rodel Colmenar. The main cast will be joined by an ensemble of more than 20 of the country’s theater actors including Michael Williams, Red Concepcion, Hans Eckstein and Raymond Concepcion, plus Ginger Karganilla and Mari Yapjoco playing the children of Emile De Becque.

“It’s not quite concert, and it’s not quite musical,” said Ms. Lauchengco-Yulo. “But we will still be telling the story.”

For details, contact TicketWorld 891-9999.