'South Pacific' transports audiences to another time, place

In many ways, "South Pacific," the iconic American musical, seems firmly rooted in a specific time and place. The story of romance colliding with racism, set on a tropical island against the backdrop of World War II, evokes a long-gone era.

But the Broadway in Chicago production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic offers timeless truths that seem fresh, without a hint of irony.

"South Pacific," of course, is considered to be one of Broadway's greatest musicals. Based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Tales of the South Pacific," with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan, "South Pacific" won 10 Tony Awards when it premiered on Broadway in 1949.

Back then, the musical was an unabashed plea for racial tolerance. It is the story of Ensign Nellie Forbush, a nurse stationed at a U.S. naval base during World War II who falls in love with a French plantation owner with racially mixed children. The secondary storyline of Navy Airman Joe Cable and his romance with a native girl, Liat, underscores the notion of how bigotry can get in the way of happiness.

This new revival and touring production, based on the Lincoln Center Theater production and directed by Bartlett Sher, is more subtle. The production allows the viewer to appreciate the story and music on their own and, while respecting the original intent, doesn't overpower the audience with it. The parallels between then and now are there, but this production never strains to make its point.

Of course, it is the music that makes "South Pacific" endure. "Some Enchanted Evening," "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy," and "I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair" have become part of the collective American musical psyche.

It is the performances of those classic songs that draw the audience in, and the cast of this production did not disappoint.

On opening night, Jennie Sophia, the understudy and a Chicago native, took the stage as Nellie Forbush with a delicate, yet steely version of the character most of us associate with a more vibrant Mitzi Gaynor, star of the 1958 film version. There were times when Sophia almost didn't seem up to the task, but she'd rally through in the end. Her Nellie was nuanced and complex, troubled by her intense feelings for a man she didn't really know. In contrast, the robust operatic baritone of Marcelo Guzzo, playing Emile de Becque, filled the Cadillac Palace Theatre. His portrayal of the Frenchman with a troubled past was a bit stiff at times, but his singing was more than impressive. When he ended the show with a reprise of "Some Enchanted Evening," it was though nothing else existed.

The chorus of Seabees, led by Luther Billis, played by Christian Marriner, nearly upstaged the stars a few times, especially with their boyish and energetic rendition of "There is Nothin' Like a Dame." Shane Donovan as Lt. Cable and Cathy Foy-Mahi as Bloody Mary handled their roles with a freshness that made the familiar songs they sang seem new.

Only the song "You've Got to be Carefully Taught," with lyrics that drive home the notion that children are taught to hate, seemed to be a bit preachy. Ironically, it was that song that was the most controversial when the show debuted on Broadway in 1949.

Adding to the experience, the lush set and superb lighting, set off by slatted screens and painted backdrops of Bali Ha'i, have a surreal effect that makes you feel the lushness and heat of a tropical island.

You feel you are back on that island during World War II, in a time and place long forgotten.