South Pacific: Hawaiian actressLoretta Ables Sayre to play Bloody Mary

Hawaiian actress Loretta Ables Sayre will make her Broadway debut playing Bloody Mary in the Lincoln Center Theater's Broadway revival of South Pacific, playing at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre from 1 Mar 2008.

As Bloody Mary, Sayre will sing two of the musical's hit songs, 'Bali Ha'i' and 'Happy Talk.' Sayre, who auditioned for the role at Hawaii's Diamond Head Theatre, had to earn the seal of approval from the heirs of Rodgers & Hammerstein.

In an interview with The Honolulu Advertiser, Sayre said "You can't imagine how overwhelming this is. It's an incredible honor. So many from Hawai'i have gone to New York, worked and worked towards realizing this dream � and here I'm given this golden ticket to do it."

In the original Broadway production Juanita Hall played Bloody Mary, for which she won the 1950 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Sayre's theatre credits include "You Somebody," at Diamond Head Theatre (Hawaii), and "Dreamgirls," at the Hawaii Theatre. She has been the Warm-up act for 'The Beach Boys', 'Kenny Loggins', 'James Brown' and 'The Four Tops.'

Sayre will be joining the previously announced Kelli O�Hara (Ensign Nellie Forbush) and Paulo Szot (Emile de Becque).

The production, the first to be mounted on Broadway since the Pulitzer Prize winning musical premiered in 1949, will be directed by Barlett Sher and will open at the Vivian Beaumont on 3 Apr 2008, following previews from 1 Mar 2008, where it will run through to 15 Jun 2008.

Director Bartlett Sher, was nominated for a 2005 Tony Award for his direction of the the musical 'Light in the Piazza', and again in 2006 for his direction of Clifford Odets 'Awake and Sing!', both presented by Lincoln Center Theater.

Additional casting for the production will be announced at a later date.

Based on James Michener�s �Tales of the South Pacific,� South Pacific has music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan.

The Lincoln Center Theater production will have sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber and lighting by Donald Holder, sound by Scott Lehrer and musical direction by Ted Sperling.

The story takes place during World War II: in the South Pacific love is found between a young nurse, Nellie Forbush and an older French plantation owner, Emile de Becque, but the war is tearing them apart.

The musical features such classic songs as: 'A Cockeyed Optimist'; 'Some Enchanted Evening'; 'There Is Nothing Like a Dame' and 'Bali Ha'i', to name a few.

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Loretta Ables Sayre