I wasn't expecting it. 

As I settled into my seat at Lincoln Center to see the new production of South Pacfic last night, I thought I knew what to expect.  Beautiful sets,  expert staging, glorious costumes, a big orchestra working through some wonderful songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein.  As the curtain rose, I wasn't  disappointed.   Everything looked and sounded lovely.  But then it happened.  I wasn't expecting it.  About 10 minutes into the performance Paulo Szot (the Brazilian opera singer tapped to play the lead role of Emile de Becque) opened his mouth, very casually - almost effortlessly, and began to sing these words:

Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger,
You may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know,
You know even then
That somewhere you'll see her
Again and again....

My heart stopped.  The sound was magnificent, the tone perfect, the emotion pure and strong and the look on his leading lady's face (the stunning Kelli O'Hara) - - -  my icy, cynical heart thawed and I melted.  Suddenly, I was transported to a small island in the South Pacific and carried away on an adventure for the next 3 hours.  I was hooked!

As I have said, I wasn't expecting it.  I had heard many good things about the show (the critics are raving, ticket sales are through the roof,  audiences are beating each other up to get seats), but I thought I knew what to expect.  I anticipated a extremely professional, well funded production, cast with top tier actors, delivering a tried and true musical theater show.  South Pacific, directed by the incomparable Bartlett Sher, turned out to be (in my opinion) a revelation.  Easily one of my favorite shows of the season and a musical theater memory that will linger in my mind for years to come.  I predict that the Tony voters will all think the same and reward the show with numerous awards; including the coveted Best Revival of a Musical Tony (sorry to the folks over at Gypsy).  Let me get specific about what I liked!  Where do I start?

He Sweats Class and Taste

The man who deserves the majority of the credit for this spectacular production of South Pacific, has got to be the director Bartlett Sher.  Having directed the sensational The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln Center, a few years ago, he has taken things one step further (he may be aided in that by a significantly superior score).  Sher called the shots on this glorious evening of theater and he didn't really make a wrong move.  From the choice to use and showcase a 30 piece orchestra (at several points the stage retracts to reveal the musicians in all their glory and it is dazzling).  To the set design (the simplicity of a single palm tree to a life size airplane).  To the way he highlighted the darker elements of the show in nuanced and moving ways.  To the spot on casting and the brilliant performances he helped his lead actors discover.  Of course, he had lots and lots of help with all of this, but as the director he has the final say and his "final say" was really really good.  Favorite moment: the way Sher staged the encore of "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" with the girls running to the very back of the stage and up a hill and ending the song as distant miniatures against the gigantic backdrop of the South Pacific.  Again, my breathe - no where to be found; it was taken away.  Gorgeous!  Favorite subtle choice: was the way dialogue drifted into song.  From the beginning of the show Sher set up the convention that there was absolutely no barrier between speaking and singing.  He carried this convention throughout the show and it really paid off.  It is really difficult describe how this worked and it is very subtle, but typically shows feel like  - song/scene/song/scene - and in this show everything just flowed.  Just one more among a myriad of expert decisions Sher made for this production.

Better than LuPone?

I like Kelli O'Hara.  I thought she was good in The Light in the Piazza - lovely to look at and a beautiful vocal instrument.  But, I didn't "get it".  I didn't see what all the fuss was about.  Last night was an eye-opener; her performance was nothing short of astonishing.  She is lovely to look at (really lovely).  She does have a beautiful voice (really beautiful).  Last night, however, I thought the way she created her character of Nellie Forbush (the plucky nurse struggling with love) was so exquisite.  She was strong, vulnerable, funny, goofy and beautifully conflicted in the final scenes of the play.  She is proving herself to be an actress in the style of Donna Murphy.  Creating a highly thought out, studied and rehearsed character (nothing is an accident, so it seems), but then having the ability to "own it" once an audience arrives.  I can't wait to see what she does next.  Highlights  of the night were her on-stage shower and the Act II reprise of "Some Enchanted Evening" (alone on a huge stage - her and a palm tree and the South Pacific).  Remarkable! 

Now the question for weeks has been "Patti or Kelli for the Tony?"  I am afraid I don't have an answer here.  If you ask me today I might say O'Hara by a hair.  But, I am torn and I think the voters will award the show itself a Tony and offer Patti LuPone (Gypsy) the Best Actress Tony (they like to balance things out).  I think that any other year it would be O'Hara's award, it is just a tough call this year.

The Hots for Szots

The biggest surprise of the evening might just be the leading man.  After an exhaustive search for just the right man to play Emile, Sher tapped Paulo Szots for the role.  I heard he was handsome - he is.  I knew his voice would be perfect - it is.  But, I worried that he would be all voice and no acting.  I am not an opera lover and one of the reasons is that I think the acting in opera mostly sucks.  Last night I didn't think this opera guy sucked at all - in fact he was really great.  He was warm and charming and fierce and passionate when the play called for it.  There was also great chemistry between Szots and O'Hara.  I found myself wondering a few times during the show if the actors were really actually in love in real life - that is a good sign, right?  

It's a Plane!  It's a Palm Tree! It's Amazing!

The motto for this show must have been "spare no expense".  The set looks like it cost 4 million dollars.  No seriously, it looks like it really cost 4 million dollars.  The nice thing is - that it is big and boisterous where it needs to be and simple and elegant when it is appropriate.  From the act curtain with text from the original James A. Michener (the source material for the show), to the beautiful backdrop of the South Pacific and the twin volcanoes of Bali Ha'I (that actually looks like moving waves - even thought I knew it wasn't), to the sandy hill in the background, to the lone palm tree on the beach (I know, I know - you probably want me to shut up about the palm tree) - all of it was magnificent.  I am running out of hyperbolic adjectives!  I am almost certain that Michael Yeargan will have a Tony on his bookshelf and Catherine Zuber is likely to add another silver gong to her mantle for the costumes (O'Hara's green party dress - UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS!).

A Harp!  Is that a HARP?

I know I am going on and on about all of this, but I would be completely remiss if I did not mention the orchestra.  First - who has a 30 piece orchestra for a Broadway show.  No one!  I repeat, no one!  So, that alone was scrumptious.  To hear Rodgers and Hammerstein's magnificent score reproduced in such a full and complete way was a true pleasure.  As the stage pulled back to reveal the whole orchestra (a very nice touch) I was shocked to see, in the center of it all, a harp!  You don't really see harps in B'way show pits.  And through out the evening their were moments when I could hear that harp and, in the words of Judy Garland, "zing zing went the strings of my heart".  (too much?  Probably.) 

Did You Dislike Anything?

Now, you are thinking to yourself, "Bixby really drank the South Pacific kool-aid".  He has turned into a mushy romantic who has lost any critical perspective.  Not true.  I do have a few complaints.  One, Matthew Morrison.  While Mr. Morrison is certainly pleasant to look at (an entire scene is played bare-chested) he really couldn't hold his own with the rest of the cast.  His acting was a bit weak and he couldn't match the vocal prowess of O'Hara and Szot.   Morrison is certainly talented, but this wasn't his role and he suffered in comparison to others sharing the stage.  I also think the show is a bit long.  Clocking in at 3 hours, it is at times repetitive.  I understand why Sher and team did not cut anything, but the piece might enjoy a little trimming here and there.

So, clearly I enjoyed the show - I think I wore out the thesaurus function on my computer trying to find more adjectives for "stunning".  But, I really enjoyed the show and I hope you all get a chance to see this fine revival of a true classic - South Pacific. That being said - I know that not everyone loved the show - if you saw SP and have some opinions - let us know what you thought.  Please.  For now, have a great weekend and I will...

~ See You On The Aisle