{"id":40487,"date":"2022-01-19T22:08:03","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T04:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tuts8dev.wpenginepowered.com\/uncategorized\/meet-the-cast-of-south-pacific\/"},"modified":"2025-10-27T22:46:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T03:46:54","slug":"meet-the-cast-of-south-pacific","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/meet-the-cast-of-south-pacific\/","title":{"rendered":"Set Sail with the Cast of South Pacific<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THEATRE UNDER THE STARS BRINGS A BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF THE TONY-AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL TO THE STAGE<\/h3>\n

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS)<\/strong> introduces the cast of the new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s South Pacific<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSouth Pacific<\/strong> was not only groundbreaking when it originally opened on Broadway in 1949, but it was a landmark moment for Theatre Under The Stars when we first produced it in 1972,\u201d said TUTS Artistic Director, Dan Knechtges<\/strong>. \u201cI have to think that with that first production of South Pacific<\/em> Theatre Under The Stars laid down the markers that would be the hallmark of all our musicals \u2013 engaging on a large scale, Texas-sized productions that could only be done in Houston.\u201d<\/p>\n

The stellar cast of South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> features a mix of local and out-of-town actors who take the stage on February 8 to tell this ground-breaking story set against the background of a tropical paradise.<\/p>\n

Natalie Ballenger<\/strong>, James D. Sasser<\/strong> and Melody Butiu <\/strong>lead off the cast in the roles of \u201cEnsign Nellie Forbush,\u201d \u201cEmile De Becque\u201d and \u201cBloody Mary\u201d respectively. Joining them are Rei Akazawa-Smith<\/strong> as \u201cLiat,\u201d Trey Harrington<\/strong> as \u201cLuther Billis,\u201d Nigel Huckle<\/strong> as \u201cLt. Joseph Cable,\u201d Paul Hope<\/strong> as \u201cCapt. George Brackett,\u201d Philip Kershaw<\/strong> as \u201cCommander William Harrison,\u201d Logan Keslar<\/strong> as \u201cStewpot,\u201d Christopher Tipps<\/strong> as \u201cProfessor,\u201d Jesse Yip<\/strong> as \u201cJerome\u201d and Kelsey Yip<\/strong> as \u201cNgana.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rounding out the cast in the Ensemble are Michael Alonzo<\/strong>, Mateus Barbosa Da Silva<\/strong>, Courtney Chilton<\/strong>, Sophia Clarke<\/strong>, Jeremy Gee<\/strong>, Miles Marmolejo<\/strong>, Riley McShanog<\/strong>, Joline Mujica<\/strong>, Sarah Sachi<\/strong>, Christopher Scurlock<\/strong>, Yasmyn Sumiyoshi <\/strong>and Holland Vavra<\/strong>. Geoffrey Hahn<\/strong> will be the \u201cStandby Emile\u201d and Steven Bogard<\/strong> will be the \u201cStandby Captain Brackett.\u201d<\/p>\n

Knechtges believes this new production will strike a chord with audiences of all ages.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted our modern audience to connect to the piece and be astonished that it has the same power and emotion, perhaps even more so, than when it premiered at TUTS in 1972,\u201d said Knechtges.<\/p>\n

South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> will be directed by Taibi Magar<\/strong>, who previously directed Spring Awakening<\/em> at Theatre Under The Stars.She is joined by Choreographer, Courtney D. Jones<\/strong>;Musical Director, Stephen W. Jones<\/strong>; Costume Designer, Colleen Grady<\/strong>, Lighting Designer, Clint Allen<\/strong>, and Sound Designer, Andrew Harper<\/strong>; Hair & Makeup Designer, Kelley Jordan<\/strong> and Intimacy \/ Sensitivity Specialist, Ann C. James<\/strong>. Casting for South Pacific<\/em><\/strong>is provided by Calleri Jensen Davis Casting and by TUTS Associate Artistic Director, Monique Midgette<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> features music by Richard Rodgers<\/strong>, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II<\/strong>, Book by Oscar Hammerstein II<\/strong> and Joshua Logan<\/strong>, and was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel \u201cTales of the South Pacific\u201d by James Michener<\/strong>. Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile\u2019s proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he\u2019s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe\u2019s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.<\/p>\n

South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> runs February 8 through 20<\/strong> at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at just $40, and are available online at TUTS.com<\/a>, or by contacting the TUTS Box Office by phone at (713) 558-8887<\/a><\/strong> or in person by visiting the Box Office<\/strong> located at 800 Bagby Street<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Theatre Under The Stars is grateful to season sponsors Children\u2019s Memorial Hermann Hospital<\/strong> and Hampton Inn\/Homewood Suites<\/strong>. South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> is sponsored in part by Apache<\/strong>. Theatre Under The Stars is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Miller Theatre Advisory Board<\/strong>, the Texas Commission on the Arts <\/strong>and the National Endowment for the Arts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS BRINGS A BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF THE TONY-AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL TO THE STAGE Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) introduces the cast of the new production of Rodgers and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":40488,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n

\r\n
MEET THE CAST OF SOUTH PACIFIC<\/em><\/strong>!<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS BRINGS A BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF THE TONY-AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL TO THE STAGE<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS)<\/strong> introduces the cast of the new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s South Pacific<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cSouth Pacific<\/strong> was not only groundbreaking when it originally opened on Broadway in 1949, but it was a landmark moment for Theatre Under The Stars when we first produced it in 1972,\u201d said TUTS Artistic Director, Dan Knechtges<\/strong>. \u201cI have to think that with that first production of South Pacific<\/em> Theatre Under The Stars laid down the markers that would be the hallmark of all our musicals \u2013 engaging on a large scale, Texas-sized productions that could only be done in Houston.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The stellar cast of South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> features a mix of local and out-of-town actors who take the stage on February 8 to tell this ground-breaking story set against the background of a tropical paradise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Natalie Ballenger<\/strong>, James D. Sasser<\/strong> and Melody Butiu <\/strong>lead off the cast in the roles of \u201cEnsign Nellie Forbush,\u201d \u201cEmile De Becque\u201d and \u201cBloody Mary\u201d respectively. Joining them are Rei Akazawa-Smith<\/strong> as \u201cLiat,\u201d Trey Harrington<\/strong> as \u201cLuther Billis,\u201d Nigel Huckle<\/strong> as \u201cLt. Joseph Cable,\u201d Paul Hope<\/strong> as \u201cCapt. George Brackett,\u201d Philip Kershaw<\/strong> as \u201cCommander William Harrison,\u201d Logan Keslar<\/strong> as \u201cStewpot,\u201d Christopher Tipps<\/strong> as \u201cProfessor,\u201d Jesse Yip<\/strong> as \u201cJerome\u201d and Kelsey Yip<\/strong> as \u201cNgana.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rounding out the cast in the Ensemble are Michael Alonzo<\/strong>, Mateus Barbosa Da Silva<\/strong>, Courtney Chilton<\/strong>, Sophia Clarke<\/strong>, Jeremy Gee<\/strong>, Miles Marmolejo<\/strong>, Riley McShanog<\/strong>, Joline Mujica<\/strong>, Sarah Sachi<\/strong>, Christopher Scurlock<\/strong>, Yasmyn Sumiyoshi <\/strong>and Holland Vavra<\/strong>. Geoffrey Hahn<\/strong> will be the \u201cStandby Emile\u201d and Steven Bogard<\/strong> will be the \u201cStandby Captain Brackett.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Knechtges believes this new production will strike a chord with audiences of all ages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWe wanted our modern audience to connect to the piece and be astonished that it has the same power and emotion, perhaps even more so, than when it premiered at TUTS in 1972,\u201d said Knechtges.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> will be directed by Taibi Magar<\/strong>, who previously directed Spring Awakening<\/em> at Theatre Under The Stars.She is joined by Choreographer, Courtney D. Jones<\/strong>;Musical Director, Stephen W. Jones<\/strong>; Costume Designer, Colleen Grady<\/strong>, Lighting Designer, Clint Allen<\/strong>, and Sound Designer, Andrew Harper<\/strong>; Hair & Makeup Designer, Kelley Jordan<\/strong> and Intimacy \/ Sensitivity Specialist, Ann C. James<\/strong>. Casting for South Pacific<\/em><\/strong>is provided by Calleri Jensen Davis Casting and by TUTS Associate Artistic Director, Monique Midgette<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> features music by Richard Rodgers<\/strong>, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II<\/strong>, Book by Oscar Hammerstein II<\/strong> and Joshua Logan<\/strong>, and was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel \u201cTales of the South Pacific\u201d by James Michener<\/strong>. Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile. Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile\u2019s proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he\u2019s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe\u2019s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices. South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> runs February 8 through 20<\/strong> at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets start at just $40, and are available online at TUTS.com<\/a>, or by contacting the TUTS Box Office by phone at (713) 558-8887<\/strong> or in person by visiting the Box Office<\/strong> located at 800 Bagby Street<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Theatre Under The Stars is grateful to season sponsors Children\u2019s Memorial Hermann Hospital<\/strong> and Hampton Inn\/Homewood Suites<\/strong>. South Pacific<\/em><\/strong> is sponsored in part by Apache<\/strong>. Theatre Under The Stars is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the Miller Theatre Advisory Board<\/strong>, the Texas Commission on the Arts <\/strong>and the National Endowment for the Arts<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40487"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40487\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuts.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}