South Pacific: Kelli O�Hara and Paulo Szot to star in Broadway revival

Lincoln Center Theater has announced casting for the two lead roles in its upcoming production of the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein�s musical South Pacific in the spring of 2008.

The Tony Award nominated singer-actress Kelli O�Hara will star as Ensign Nellie Forbush and internationally acclaimed baritone Paulo Szot will make his Broadway debut as 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. The musical is expected to run through to 16 Jun 2008, but no final date has been confirmed.

Kelli O�Hara returns to Lincoln Center Theater where she created the role of Clara in the 'The Light in the Piazza' (2005), for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. The following season she starred opposite Harry Connick, Jr. in The Pajama Game (2006 revival), again scoring another Tony nomination for her performance. Her previous Broadway credits include Dracula (2004), The Sweet Smell of Success (2002), Follies (2001 revival) and Jekyl and Hyde (1997).

Paulo Szot is an internationally acclaimed baritone whose previous New York credits include starring roles in the NY City Opera productions of L�Elisir d�Amore, Carmen and Le Nozze di Figaro. A finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition in Philadelphia, he made his operatic debut as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia in his native Sao Paolo, before going on to sing lead roles with major opera companies throughout South America, Europe and the United States.

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.

In the original Broadway production Mary Martin played Nellie Forbush, and Ezio Pinza played Emile De Beque. The musical was made into a sucessful film in 1958 with Mitzi Gaynor playing the role of Nellie Forbush and Rossano Brazzi the role of Emile De Beque.

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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Kelli O�HaraPaulo Szot