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South Pacific
by Patrick Henry Musical Theatre
 James A. Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific
inspired this groundbreaking Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that challenged
the widespread attitude at the time regarding interracial marriage, bluntly
saying You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught how to hate. And it did so in a
lavish setting, an exotic group of Pacific islands when World War II could have
been won by either side, and a remarkable score that includes Some Enchanted
Evening, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, and Bali
Ha’i.
Director Christine Carr and Patrick Henry High School
tackled this classic with several good voices and performances. Michael
Sanchez is the widowed Frenchman, wealthy middle-aged plantation owner
Emile de Becque, who falls in love with young Ensign Nellie Forbush (Brittany
Hopkins), a southern woman from Little Rock, Arkansas who doesn’t know
about Emile’s young Polynesian children by his late wife. Michael Sanchez can
be both amusingly charming in his reprise of I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right
Outta My Hair and delivers on the poignant ballad This Nearly Was Mine.
Brittany Hopkins has a lovely voice and a cute, cockeyed-optimistic personality
needed for the character of Knucklehead Nellie with good expressions that work
great for the vaudevillian Honey Bun.
 Other major players on the island include Lt. Joseph Cable (Nico
Lam) who flies in to take on a hazardous mission and finds himself falling
at least partially under the spell of Bali Ha’i and its beautiful, graceful
resident Liat (Danielle Sanchez), leading to Nico’s sonorous love song Younger
Than Springtime. That relationship the result of an introduction by the
singular Bloody Mary, the local entrepreneur who knows what she wants and goes
after it, with Delaney Moghanian capturing the character with impressive
stage presence, personality, and use of voice including her hypnotic Bali
Ha’i.
Elsewhere, Alejandro Albanez, Conner Alvarez,
and Kevin Wright form a memorable trio as Luther Billis, Stewpot, and
the Professor – three Seabees who might not be the brightest, but are
definitely resourceful in their efforts to forge a living out in the South
Pacific. Alejandro does a great job as a reluctant drag queen in Honey Bun,
soon feeling so comfortable in his new guise that he is distractedly fixing his
coconut bra. The three of them adlib often, making fun of everyone but
themselves. Their camaraderie is solid throughout. Other good performances come
from Jacob Poston, Mark Mcfarland, and an ensemble of Seabees (Nothing
Like a Dame) and nurses (I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair),
not to mention the added nuns who try to make sure that never those two groups
shall meet. Conductor Matthew Kalal, Music Director Carol Fleming,
and the school’s orchestra make sure the show’s immortal musical score creates
an enchanted evening for the audience.
Performed February 4 - 14, 2009.
Photos by Raymond Sanchez
Rob Hopper
Executive Director
National Youth Theatre
~ Cast ~
 Ngana: Avianca Torres
Jerome: Adrian Torres
Henry: Jackson Vencill
Ensign Nellie Forbush: Brittany Hopkins
Emile de Becque: Michael Sanchez
Bloody Mary: Delaney Moghanian
Temana: Michelle Fowler
Stewpot: Conner Alvarez
Luther Billis: Alejandra Albanez
Professor: Kevin Wright
Lt. Joseph Cable: Nico Lam
Capt. George Brackett: Jacob Poston
Cmdr. William Harbison: Mark McFarland
Sgt. Kenneth Johnson: Aaron Albanez
Seabee Richard West: Joshua Reed
Seabee Morton Wise: Josh Naughton
Seabee Joe Bottoms: Adam Recht
Seaman Tom O'Brien: Jake Abell
Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey: William Willowsby
Marine Cpl. Hamilton Steeves: Landon Abbott
Seaman James Hayes: Ryan Dietrich
Lt. Genevieve Marshall: Alexandra Blair
Ensign Connie Walewska: Jessica Hasselbar
Ensign Janet McGregor: Kelsey Pepin
Ensign Bessie Noonan: Allison Cummings
Ensign Pamela Whitmore: Emma Mills
Ensign Rita Adams: Abby Barraza
Ensign Sue Yeager: Julie Felios
Ensign Lisa Minelli: Masha Lozhico
Ensign Cora MacRae: Julia Stine
Ensign Dinah Murphy: Emily Okerlund
Ensign Judy Hassinger: Aisha Mahler Salinas
Liat: Danielle Sanchez
Lt. Buzz Adams: Evan Reed
Natives/Nuns/Pilots:
Natalie Boyd
Celeste Zapanta
Margo Flitcraft
Hilary Leong
Elivia Freeman
Christy Villanueva
Evan Reed
Joseph House
Producer/Director: Christine Carr
Music Director, Rehearsal Pianist: Carol Fleming
Orchestra Conductor: Matthew Kalal
Choreographer: Aisha Salinas, Sherrie Garrett
Scenic Design: John Christopher
Lighting Design: Gabriel Alan Melero, Jeff Murray
Costume Design: Alex Blair
Sound Design: Danny Stein, Matthew Kalal
Assistant Director/Stage Manager: Jenna Jahn
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