‘South Pacific’ at Paliku Theatre

A TERRIFIC TRIO: Daniel Johnson, left, came out front in costume to greet the audience after the Sunday matinee performance of "South Pacific" at Paliku Theatre. Johnson plays the Professor, and John Longford Bryan, center, is Stewpot, in director Ron Bright's excellent revival of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic. Larry Bialock, right, dominates several key scenes with his beautifully nuanced portrayal of conniving Seabee Luther Billis. Bialock is well known as a character actor and song-and-dance man, but it's his comic dancing that makes the big "Honey Bun" dance number a of the highlights in this production. "South Pacific" runs Fridays through Sundays, through Oct. 30.

MEET OUR HEROINE: Maile T. Krienke, left, and Maryn Good celebrated at the backstage cast party. Good makes her local stage debut a perfect one with her portrayal of Nellie Forbush, a naive young nurse whose racial prejudices are challenged when she falls in love. Good makes Nellie's emotional highs and lows believable. She also does justice to the fabulous songs. Krienke's expressive dancing enhances her portrayal of Liat, the teenage girlfriend of an American Marine.

AND HERE'S JOE CABLE: Tony Young gives a solid performance as Joe Cable, a Marine officer who is unable to set aside his racial prejudices and marry his teenage girlfriend. His big numbers -- "Carefully Taught" and "Younger Than Springtime" -- are highlights. CJ Matsushige plays one of the Navy nurses.

ANOTHER WINNER FOR MR. BRIGHT: Director Ron Bright, right, congratulated Wyoming Rossett (Capt. Brackett) and Sonya Mendez (Bloody Mary) at the cast party. Rossett hit all the right comic notes in the scene where Brackett speaks out for "older men." Mendez is brilliant as Bloody Mary. Bright's astute direction ensures that this long show never drags.

BID NOW, HAWAII!: Tom Holowach, right, shows Ken Field a first-edition copy of "Tales Of The South Pacific," the novel that the show is based on. The historic book was donated to raise funds for Paliku Theatre and is up for auction. Call 235-7430.