South Pacific closes out '98 Music Circus
Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
SOUTH PACIFIC starring Susan Egan and Vernon Hartman, is Music Circus' seventh production of the season. SOUTH PACIFIC plays under the tent, Aug. 24-30, 1998.

Susan Egan as Nellie Forbush in a scene from Sacramento Music Circus' production of SOUTH PACIFIC. SOUTH PACIFIC is the final show of the 1998 season.
    It's hard to top yourself, and this was the case in Sacramento Music Circus' final production of the year, SOUTH PACIFIC, playing under the tent, Aug. 24-30, 1998.
    Five years ago the cast of Susan Egan, Vernon Hartman and Gary Beach took the Music Circus stage playing respectively the roles of Nellie Forbush, Emile de Becque and Luther Billis.
    The trio returned this year for an encore performance, but there was something lacking during the opening night show that made most of the performance seem to drag on forever and give a prevailing sense that the audience wished it would get over with.
    What, you say? The beginnings of a negative review on this page? Well, not really. I heard from several people who attended later performances that the show got more energetic as the week wore on. I attribute the slowness of Monday's opener to a tired cast, a tired audience, and more a general feeling that everyone in town was wishing the heat would go away.
    So what about opening night? Ordinarily I try not to listen to other reviewers or people before I get my review written. The general thoughts I heard after the show, however, all seemed to agree that Vernon Hartman was a little stiff compared to his 1993 performance. The emotion that carried his performance five years ago seemed to be lacking. He wasn't bad, just not what Music Circus fans remembered from 1993.
    Most of the comments I heard also agreed that Susan Egan and Gary Beach were in top form. Before we get to them, however, I must also mention Linda Thompson Williams as Bloody Mary. Whether it's the performer - or the role - everyone always seems to love her. And she does have one of the best songs
Linda Thompson Williams as Bloody Mary and Gary Beach as Luther Billis in Music Circus' SOUTH PACIFIC.
in the show, "Bali Ha'i."
    Gary Beach is a pure delight to watch on stage. I wish he'd come to Sacramento more often. As Luther Billis, of course, he plays a clown anyway, but Beach seems to know how to milk the audience for all the laughs he can get. The harder the crowd laughs, the more Beach hams it up. It's impossible not to like the guy. After he leaves Sacramento, he heads to New York to reprise his role of Lumiere in Broadway's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
    And small world, of course! Beach starred alongside Susan Egan in B&B and seems to have a definite on-stage chemistry with the actress. His character of Luther Billis is fond of Egan's Nellie Forbush. But more in a fatherly way. He watches out for her and would do anything for her.
    Susan Egan, of course, is no stranger to Music Circus and Sacramento. This is her third time under the tent and she also has two Broadway Series productions to her credit.
CAST:
  Jerome - Scott Suwabe
  Ngana - Hannah Gladstone
  Henry - Mark Sanders
  Ensign Nellie Forbush - Susan Egan
  Emile de Becque - Vernon Hartman
  Bloody Mary - Linda Thompson
    Williams
  Stewpot - Britt Gunter
  Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey - Bob
    Richard
  Yeoman Herbert Quale - Michael
    Susko
  Luther Billis - Gary Beach
  Professor - Dink O'Neal
  Lt. Joseph Cable - Eric Kunze
  Cmdr. William Harbison - Kurt
    Johnson
  Capt. George Brackett - Kevin
    Cooney
  Liat - Dina Morishita
  Lt. Buzz Adams - Deven May
  Shore Patrolman - Mark Sanders
NURSES, SEABEES,
SAILORS and MARINES
  Kerri Jill Garbis, Helena Hultberg, Ben Johns, Deven May, Amy Michoski, Amber Owens, Bob Richard, Stephany R. Simonelli, Laura-Jean Smillie, Michael Susko, Paul Woodson
    Egan, of course, is best known for her role of Belle in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on Broadway, and was also heard as the speaking/singing voice of Meg in last summer's Disney film HERCULES.
    I had the pleasure of spending some time with Miss Egan while she was in Sacramento and she voiced her thoughts on her role of Nellie Forbush in this year's SOUTH PACIFIC.
    "South Pacific opened on Broadway in 1949 and starred Mary Martin in the role I'm doing now - Nellie," said Egan. She's a young nurse who has just entered the war and is on island in the South Pacific that isn't seeing much action, but she meets this French planter - an older gentleman named Emile de Becque.
Susan Egan under the SOUTH PACIFIC sign outside the Music Circus.
    "It's really about Nellie learning about the world. She's from Little Rock, Arkansas and she hasn't seen much of the real world. This sophisticated older man romancing her is what the story is really about."
    One of Susan's favorite parts of the show is the "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair" scene, where she actually takes a "shower" on stage. "The shower is right next to the audience and I'll always try to spray the first couple of rows - like the Shamu show in San Diego," she said.
    Egan feels community theatre such as the Music Circus is as important as the big productions on Broadway.
    "Mr. (Leland) Ball manages to put together such a terrific mix of productions from classic Rogers and Hammerstein musicals to world premieres of new shows. It's important, I think, to keep the classics alive, but also to nurture new writing talent. And it pleases me to see that all these productions are so well attended and loved by the Sacramento audiences."     Susan will get no rest after the close of SOUTH PACIFIC, as she heads back to Los Angeles to begin rehearsals for PUTTING IT TOGETHER (also starring Carol Burnett) at the Mark Taper Forum.
    "I'm really, really, really excited about doing PUTTING IT TOGETHER," said Susan. "Carol Burnett is one of my idols. I mimic her every chance I get. I suppose I'll have to figure something else out now that they actually have Carol on stage!
    "PUTTING IT TOGETHER is a Stephen Sondheim piece and I'm a real big Sondheim fan. I love his stuff. It will play at the Mark Taper Forum where I grew up seeing plays in Los Angeles, so it's kind of one of those full circle things for me and I'm really excited about delving into that. It's also really small cast so it should be lots of fun."
    SOUTH PACIFIC concludes the 1998 Music Circus season, but Sacramento theatre fans will not have long to wait for the Sacramento Light Opera Association's Broadway Series.
    BARRYMORE opens the season at the Community Center Theater, Sept. 29-Oct. 4. BARRYMORE stars Christopher Plummer in his Tony Award-winning role of John Barrymore. Tickets are priced at $10-$55 and are available by calling (916) 557-1999, (916) 264-5181, or (916) 923-BASS.
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