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POOR sound quality has been the bane of many otherwise impressive productions at Army Community Theatre in recent years but not so ACT's current production of Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein's "South Pacific." When keiki Kimi Anderson (Ngana) and Jeffrey Au (Jerome) are heard singing "Dites-Moi" clearly and cleanly over musical director John Alexander's large orchestra there's a sense first of wonder and then anticipation. Will all go well? It does! ACT gets sound
act together for
‘South Pacific’By John Berger
Special to the Star-Bulletin
"South Pacific" marks Lina Jeong Doo's debut as director of an ACT production, but after serving as musical director for more than a dozen years, she's had ample time to ponder the challenge of achieving a clean balanced audio mix in the huge theater. Doo and sound designer Robert Moser have done a magnificent job.
"South Pacific": Repeats 7:30 p.m. today to Saturday and March 8 to 10 at Richardson Theatre. Tickets are $12 and $15 for adults; $6 and $8 for keiki. Call 438-4480 or 438-5320
Doo also does well in staging the expansive production and in maintaining a smooth dramatic momentum almost throughout the show. There are a few bits and pieces that could be trimmed but overall, this is an enjoyable revival of one of the greatest American musicals of the past century. The stories of love and racism it tells remain timeless, the central characters are memorable, the dramatic conflicts and their resolutions relevant and believable today, and almost every song in the show is a pop music gem that the average theater fan will leave the theater singing.
Elizabeth Wenzel (Nellie Forbush) is adequate but less than stellar as "our heroine" -- the small town girl who almost takes too long to set aside her racist attitudes and understand that age is nothing but a number. Wenzel is pleasant in the role but doesn't seem to have the perkiness and charm it needs.
Charles Degala does well with both the voice and stage presence needed to play the role of plantation owner Emile De Becque, Nellie's love interest with a past.
There's no faulting Nan Asuncion (Bloody Mary), who proves to be Doo's best overall find. Asuncion has been known in recent years for her work in serious roles at Kumu Kahua and in productions at Diamond Head Theatre and Honolulu Theatre for Youth. Asuncion rips into this classic role with zest, suggesting both the comic and poignant facets of her motherly role, and makes "Bali Hai" and "Happy Talk" the musical highlights they should be.
Jenny Mayumi Unno is silent but darling as Tonkinese girl Liat and is particularly appealing opposite Asuncion and Brady Hulsey (Joe Cable) in "Happy Talk." Hulsey isn't a powerful singer but he brings a clear voice and appropriate earnestness to the role.
The show becomes a grand showcase for David Starr as he stretches out in the light comic role of Seabee entrepreneur Luther Billis. Jack Bates (Commander Harbison) and George Hearn (Captain Brackett) add effective performances in secondary roles. Bates and Hearn are particularly good in the scene in which Cable gets put in his place after making a disparaging comment about older men. Bates' response to Hearn's key line is right on the money and gives the scene the comic punch it deserves.
Doo also gets good work out of the ensemble. The men are a solid unit in "Bloody Mary" and "There is Nothin' Like A Dame." The women come together nicely around Wenzel on "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair." John Alexander's musical direction, James Ripley's lighting, and Pam Sandridge's expansive choreography also add to the overall entertainment value.
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