Theatre--Performance (Musical Theatre)

South Pacific, the legendary Broadway and movie hit, will be presented by the Iberia Performing Arts League opening Friday, March 25 and running Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons thru April 10.  Evening performances are at 7:30 and Sunday Matinees are at 3:00 at the Essanee Theater, IPAL’s Art Deco home.  Ticket or other information can be obtained by calling the theater at 364-6114, e-mailing ipal@cox.net, or by visiting the IPAL website. Tickets can also be obtained in New Iberia at Paul’s Flower Shop, Delaune’s Pharmacy, or Accentrics. All seats are reserved and are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

 The production is directed by Donald “Doc” Voorhies, and stars Mike Parich (Emile de Becque), Kim Monroe (Nellie Forbush), Helen Allain Richthofen (Bloody Mary), Phillip Smith (Lt. Joe Cable), and Thomas Owens (Luther Billis). Additional leading roles are Anne Catherine Leblanc (Liat), Mike Berry (Brackett), Bud Forrest (Harbison), Matthew Dugan (Professor), James Wyche (Stewpot), Faye Tarantino (Henriette), Breigh Rodriguez (Ngana), William Lambert (Jerome), and Rhonda Leblanc (Polynesian woman).

South Pacific opened on Broadway in 1949 and won 10 Tony Awards. Written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, it ran for nearly 2000 performances. The 2008 Lincoln Center production won 7 Tony Awards and even today continues on its national tour.  The show features well known standards: "Some Enchanted Evening", "Bali Hai", "Nothin’ Like a Dame", "Younger Than Springtime" and many more.

IPAL’s South Pacific will have a cast of forty-five singers and dancers accompanied by a sixteen piece orchestra.  According to director, Don “Doc” Voorhies, “South Pacific is simply a beautiful show. The music and dancing combined with a truly engrossing historical story make this show outstanding. Some critics have said South Pacific is the greatest musical of all. This is not far from the truth."  For this very special show, IPAL has invited a number of World War II veterans to be its guests, which will make the evening an even more moving experience.

IPAL is working its usual magic and is expecting to have a great show. In Voorhies’ production staff are Helen Hodge (Vocal Director), Bob Morgan (Orchestra Conductor), Travis Guillory (Assistant Director), Kim Parich (Choreographer), Sheila Manes (Art Director), Mike and Katherine Caffery (Technical Directors) and Julie Kilgore (Costumer).

This performance is supported, in part, by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts, and Grants from Regions Bank and Iberia Cultural Resources Association.