‘Pacific’ is an all-around triumph

Diamond Head Theatre’s highly anticipated production of "South Pacific" promises to be the theatrical event of the season. Seats are as coveted as they were for the 1949 Broadway premiere.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s war-themed musical, drawn from James Michener’s "Tales of the South Pacific," is the "piece de resistance" for the theater’s 100th season as the "Broadway of the Pacific."

Local audiences can now witness Loretta Ables Sayre’s award-winning portrayal of Bloody Mary, created for the acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater revival in 2008. After more than 1,500 performances in New York and beyond, Ables Sayre is an undeniable "South Pacific" expert. How fortuitous that she and John Rampage share directorial duties to provide a Broadway-caliber experience.

Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers brought a liberal message to postwar America. Hammerstein and Joshua Logan’s script addressed the loneliness and dangers inherent in wartime service, and the consequences of prejudice when encountering "otherness."

All of the design teams deserve high praise for their artistic contributions. Willie Sabel’s beautifully painted ocean and sky scrim captures the island feel, and veils the mystical peaks of Bali Ha’i.

The story finds American military personnel occupying a South Pacific island, where two mixed-culture romances unfold. Nellie Forbush, a Navy nurse from Arkansas, and Emile de Becque, a wealthy French widower, experience love at first sight. Tonkinese vendor Bloody Mary determines that Marine Lt. Joe Cable is the ideal husband for her daughter Liat. The young couple passionately concurs.

But when Nellie learns that de Becque has fathered two mixed-race children, and Cable realizes that Liat would never be accepted back home, they must confront their racist upbringings.

Erin Winker Fasone exudes Nellie’s essence. She is delightful to watch, and her colorful solos are wonderfully engaging. As Emile, Laurence Paxton masterfully delivers the eloquent operatic ballads "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine." Together, they find chemistry and create believable moments, from subtle to cathartic.

Siblings Sophia and Raphael Stark play Emile’s children, Ngana and Jerome (Ka’enaaloha Watson and Ryder Goto cover one Saturday show weekly). Their recurring song "Dites-Moi" and French dialogue are charming.

Ables Sayre is a complex and highly motivated Mary. Each word and movement has purpose, and she is captivating in "Bali Ha’i" and "Happy Talk." As Joseph Cable, Cody Garner is extraordinarily believable in both quiet moments and intense outbursts. He and Olivia Manayan as Liat passionately heat up the stage, and he poignantly delivers the show’s anthem, "You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught."

Musical director Phil Hidalgo and the orchestra sensitively move through the well-known score. The constant shifting between operatic and character songs could affect continuity, but Ables Sayre extracts honesty and nuance from her actors/singers that heighten the story’s effect, and Rampage’s staging and choreography flow seamlessly.

The ensemble’s high-spirited production numbers arise naturally. As Luther Billis, Zack Oldham comically leads "There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame," and is a show highlight in "Honey Bun."

DHT’s production reminds us of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatness and musical theater’s power.

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Jane Kerns is a doctoral student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, holds degrees in theater and vocal performance, and has performed as an actor and singer in New York City.