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== Creation == === Inception === In the early 1940s, composer [[Richard Rodgers]] and lyricist [[Oscar Hammerstein II]], each a longtime Broadway veteran, joined forces and began their collaboration by writing two musicals that became massive hits, ''[[Oklahoma!]]'' (1943) and ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' (1945).<ref>Hyland, p. 167</ref> An innovation for its time in integrating song, dialogue and dance, ''Oklahoma!'' would serve as "the model for Broadway shows for decades".<ref>Hischak, p. 202</ref> In 1999, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named ''Carousel'' the best musical of the century, writing that Rodgers and Hammerstein "set the standards for the 20th-century musical".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071125162947/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993039-2,00.html "The best of the century"], ''Time'', December 31, 1999, accessed December 21, 2010</ref> Their next effort, ''[[Allegro (musical)|Allegro]]'' (1947), was a comparative disappointment, running for less than a year, although it turned a small profit.<ref>Hischak, pp. 5β7</ref> After this, the two were determined to achieve another hit.<ref name = "N173">Nolan, p. 173</ref> According to director [[Joshua Logan]], a friend of both theatre men, he and [[Leland Hayward]] mentioned Michener's best-selling book to Rodgers as a possible basis for the duo's next play,<ref name="Lovensheimer 46">Lovensheimer, p. 46</ref> but the composer took no action. Logan recalled that he then pointed it out to Hammerstein, who read Michener's book and spoke to Rodgers; the two agreed to do the project so long as they had majority control, to which Hayward grudgingly agreed.<ref>Fordin, pp. 259β260; and Logan, pp. 266β267</ref> Michener, in his 1992 memoirs, however, wrote that the stories were first pitched as a movie concept to [[MGM]] by [[Kenneth MacKenna]], head of the studio's literary department. MacKenna's half brother was [[Jo Mielziner]], who had designed the sets for ''Carousel'' and ''Allegro''. Michener states that Mielziner learned of the work from MacKenna and brought it to the attention of Hammerstein and Rodgers, pledging to create the sets if they took on the project.<ref>Lovensheimer, p. 47</ref> Hayward attempted to buy the rights from Michener outright, offering $500; Michener declined. Although playwright [[Lynn Riggs]] had received 1.5% of the box office grosses for the right to adapt ''[[Green Grow the Lilacs (play)|Green Grow the Lilacs]]'' into ''Oklahoma!'', Michener never regretted accepting one percent of the gross receipts from ''South Pacific''. As Rodgers and Hammerstein began their work on the adaptation, Michener worked mostly with the lyricist, but Rodgers was concerned about the implications of the setting, fearing that he would have to include ukuleles and guitars, which he disliked. Michener assured him that the only instrument he had ever heard the natives play was an emptied barrel of gasoline, drummed upon with clubs.<ref>May, p. 80</ref> === Composition === [[File:R and H.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Two men in business suits sit in theatre seats amiably discussing what they are watching|Rodgers (left) and Hammerstein]] Soon after their purchase of the rights, Rodgers and Hammerstein decided not to include a ballet, as in their earlier works, feeling that the realism of the setting would not support one. Concerned that an adaptation too focused on "Fo' Dolla' ", the story of the encounter between Cable and Liat, would be too similar to ''[[Madama Butterfly]]'', Hammerstein spent months studying the other stories and focused his attention on "Our Heroine", the tale of the romance between Nellie and Emile. The team decided to include both romances in the musical play. It was conventional at the time that if one love story in a musical was serious, the other would be more comedic, but in this case both were serious and focused on racial prejudice. They decided to increase the role played by Luther Billis in the stories, merging experiences and elements of several other characters into him. Billis's wheeling and dealing would provide comic relief.<ref>Fordin, pp. 261β262</ref> They also shortened the title to ''South Pacific'' β Rodgers related that the producers tired of people making risquΓ© puns on the word "tales".<ref>Maslon, p. 117</ref> In early drafts of the musical, Hammerstein gave significant parts to two characters who eventually came to have only minor roles, Bill Harbison and Dinah Culbert. Harbison is one of the major characters in ''Tales of the South Pacific''; a model officer at the start, he gradually degenerates to the point where, with battle imminent, he requests his influential father-in-law to procure for him a transfer to a post in the United States. Hammerstein conceived of him as a rival to Emile for Nellie's affections, and gave him a song, "The Bright Young Executive of Today". As redrafts focused the play on the two couples, Harbison became less essential, and he was relegated to a small role as the executive officer to the commander of the island, Captain Brackett. Dinah, a nurse and friend of Nellie, is also a major character in Michener's work, and was seen as a possible love interest for Billis, though any actual romance was limited by Navy regulations forbidding fraternization between officers (all American nurses in World War II were commissioned officers) and enlisted men. "[[I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair]]" originated as a duet for Dinah and Nellie, with Dinah beginning the song and developing its theme.<ref>Lovensheimer, pp. 58β67</ref> According to Lovensheimer, Nellie's and Dinah's "friendship became increasingly incidental to the plot as the writing continued. Hammerstein eventually realized that the decision to wash Emile out of her hair had to be Nellie's. Only then did the scene have the dramatic potential for Nellie's emotional transition" as she realizes her love for Emile. In the final version, Dinah retains one solo line in the song.<ref>Rodgers and Hammerstein, pp. 310β313</ref> Joshua Logan, in his memoirs, stated that after months of effort in the first half of 1948, Hammerstein had written only the first scene, an outline, and some lyrics. Hammerstein was having trouble due to lack of knowledge of the military, a matter with which Logan, a veteran of the armed forces, was able to help. The dialogue was written in consultation between the two of them, and eventually Logan asked to be credited for his work. Rodgers and Hammerstein decided that while Logan would receive co-writing credit on the book, he would receive no author's royalties. Logan stated that a contract putting these changes into force was sent over to his lawyer with instructions that unless it was signed within two hours, Logan need not show up for rehearsals as director.<ref>Logan, pp. 273β281; and May, pp. 98β103</ref> Logan signed, although his lawyer did not then tell him about the ultimatum.<ref name = "H179">Hyland, p. 179</ref> Through the decades that followed, Logan brought the matter up from time to time, demanding compensation, but when he included his version of the events in his 1976 memoirs, it was disputed by Rodgers (Hammerstein had died in 1960).<ref name = "H179"/> Rodgers biographer Meryle Secrest suggests that Logan was compensated when [[South Pacific (1958 film)|''South Pacific'' was filmed in 1958]], as Logan received a substantial share of the profits as director.{{#tag:ref|Jim Lovensheimer, in his book on the genesis of ''South Pacific'', questions Logan's account: "in his autobiography, at least, Logan is the star of every show he mentions".<ref name="Lovensheimer 46"/>|group= n}}<ref>Secrest, p. 290</ref> According to Michener biographer Stephen J. May, "it is difficult to assess just how much of the final book Josh Logan was responsible for. Some estimates say 30 to 40 percent. But that percentage is not as critical perhaps as his knowledge of military lore and directing for the theatre, without which the creation of ''South Pacific'' would have collapsed during that summer of 1948."<ref>May, p. 100</ref> Rodgers composed the music once he received the lyrics from Hammerstein. A number of stories are told of the speed with which he wrote the music for ''South Pacific'' 's numbers. "[[Happy Talk (song)|Happy Talk]]" was said to have been composed in about twenty minutes; when Hammerstein, who had sent the lyrics by messenger, called to check whether Rodgers had received them, his partner informed him that he had both lyrics and music. Legend has it he composed "[[Bali Ha'i]]" in ten minutes over coffee in Logan's apartment; what he did create in that time frame was the three-note motif which begins both song and musical. Hammerstein's lyrics for "Bali Ha'i" were inspired by the stage backdrop which designer [[Jo Mielziner]] had painted. Feeling that the island of Bali Ha'i did not appear mysterious enough, Mielziner painted some mist near the summit of its volcano. When Hammerstein saw this he immediately thought of the lyric, "my head sticking up from a low-flying cloud" and the rest of the song followed easily from that.<ref>Nolan, pp. 184β186</ref> === Casting and out-of-town previews === [[File:Ezio Pinza SP.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Publicity portrait of a man in his mid-fifties with curly hair (Pinza)|Ezio Pinza]] In May 1948, Rodgers received a telephone call from [[Edwin Lester]] of the [[Los Angeles Civic Light Opera]]. Lester had signed former [[Metropolitan Opera]] star [[Ezio Pinza]] for $25,000 to star in a new show, ''Mr. Ambassador''. The show had not been written, and it never would be.<ref>Maslon, p. 111</ref> Lester hoped that Rodgers would take over Pinza's contract. Pinza had become bored as the Met's leading lyric [[Bass (voice type)|bass]], and having played the great opera houses, sought other worlds to conquer. Rodgers immediately saw Pinza as perfect for the role of Emile.<ref>Nolan, p. 178</ref> Lester carefully broached the subject to Pinza and his wife/business manager and provided them with a copy of ''Tales of the South Pacific''. When Pinza read the book, he told Lester, "Sell me right away!"<ref name = "M112">Maslon, p. 112</ref> Pinza's contract for ''South Pacific'' included a clause limiting his singing to 15 minutes per performance.<ref name = "M112" /> With Pinza's signing, Rodgers and Hammerstein decided to make his the lead male role, subordinating the story of the pair of young lovers. It was unusual on Broadway for the romantic lead to be an older male.<ref name = "F262">Fordin, p. 262</ref> [[File:Mary Martin 1.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Portrait of a woman in her mid-thirties, with long curly hair and wearing an old-fashioned blouse with string tie|[[Mary Martin]]]] For the role of Nellie, Rodgers sought [[Mary Martin]], who had nearly been cast to originate the role of Laurey in ''Oklahoma!''<ref name = "F262" /> Martin was playing the title role in the touring company of ''[[Annie Get Your Gun (musical)|Annie Get Your Gun]]''. After Hammerstein and Rodgers saw her play in Los Angeles in mid-1948, they asked her to consider the part. Martin was reluctant to sing opposite Pinza's powerful voice; Rodgers assured her he would see to it the two never sang at the same time,<ref>Davis, p. 123</ref> a promise he mostly kept.<ref name = "H180">Hyland, p. 180</ref> Rodgers and Martin lived near each other in Connecticut, and after her tour Rodgers invited Martin and her husband, Richard Halliday, to his home to hear the three songs for the musical that he had completed, none of them for Nellie.<ref>Davis, p. 125</ref> "[[Some Enchanted Evening]]" especially struck Martin, and although disappointed the song was not for her, she agreed to do the part.<ref name = "H180" /> Although Nellie and Emile were already fully developed characters in Michener's stories, during the creation of ''South Pacific'', Rodgers, Hammerstein and Logan began to adapt the roles specifically to the talents of Martin and Pinza and to tailor the music for their voices.<ref>[http://www.rnh.com/show/97/South-Pacific#shows-history "''South Pacific'': History], Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, accessed August 29, 2012</ref> Martin influenced several of her songs. While showering one day during rehearsals, she came up with the idea for a scene in which she would shampoo her hair onstage. This gave rise to "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair".<ref>Hammerstein, p. 199</ref> Built around a primitive shower that Logan remembered from his time in the military, the song became one of the most talked-about in ''South Pacific''.<ref>Maslon, p. 93</ref> To introduce another of Martin's numbers to her, Rodgers called her over to his apartment, where he and Hammerstein played "[[I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy]]" for her. When Martin essayed it for herself, she sang the final 26 words, as intended, with a single breath, and fell off her piano bench. Rodgers gazed down at her, "That's exactly what I want. Never do it differently. We must feel you couldn't squeeze out another sound."<ref>Nolan, p. 185</ref> The producers held extensive auditions to fill the other roles.<ref name = "F267">Fordin, p. 267</ref> [[Myron McCormick]] was cast as Billis; according to Logan, no one else was seriously considered. The two roles which gave the most trouble were those of Cable and Bloody Mary.<ref name = "L283" /> They tried to get Harold Keel for the role of Cable (he had played Curly in the West End production of ''Oklahoma!'') only to find that he had signed a contract with MGM under the name [[Howard Keel]].<ref name = "N182">Nolan, p. 182</ref> [[William Tabbert]] was eventually cast as Cable, though Logan instructed him to lose {{convert|20|lb}}. African-American singer [[Juanita Hall]] was cast as Bloody Mary; Logan recalled that at her audition, she took a squatting pose which proclaimed, "I am Bloody Mary and don't you dare cast anyone else!"<ref name = "L283">Logan, p. 283</ref> [[Betta St. John]], who under the name Betty Striegler had replaced [[Bambi Linn]] as Louise in ''Carousel'', took the role of Liat.<ref name = "N182" /> Logan directed (he and Hayward co-produced with Rodgers and Hammerstein), Mielziner did the stage design, [[Trude Rittmann]] and [[Robert Russell Bennett]] prepared the orchestration, and [[Elizabeth Montgomery (designer)|Elizabeth Montgomery]] of [[Motley Theatre Design Group]] designed the costumes.<ref name = "F267" /> [[Salvatore Dell'Isola]] served as music director.<ref>Maslon, p. 124</ref> ===Original production=== [[File:South Pacific Playbill.jpg| thumb|upright|alt=Cover of the Playbill for the original production at the Majestic Theatre. It bears a photograph of a man in his 50s (Pinza) beside a somewhat younger woman (Martin). Both are formally dressed and look upwards and to the left with their mouths open, as if singing together.|Playbill cover]] Rehearsals began at Broadway's [[Belasco Theatre]] on February 2, 1949. There was no formal chorus; each of the nurses and [[Seabees in World War II|Seabees]] was given a name, and, in the case of the men, $50 to equip themselves with what clothing they felt their characters would wear from the military surplus shops which lined West 42nd Street. [[Don Fellows]], the first Lt. Buzz Adams, drew on his wartime experience as a Marine to purchase a non-regulation baseball cap and black ankle boots.<ref>Maslon, pp. 124β125</ref> Martin and Pinza had not known each other, but they soon formed a strong friendship.<ref name="Davis, p. 130">Davis, p. 130</ref> Of the mood backstage, "everyone agreed: throughout the rehearsals Logan was fiery, demanding, and brilliantly inventive."<ref name = "N186">Nolan, p. 186</ref> He implemented lap changes (pioneered by Rodgers and Hammerstein in ''Allegro''), whereby the actors coming on next would already be on a darkened part of the stage as one scene concluded. This allowed the musical to continue without interruption by scene changes, making the action almost seamless. He soon had the Seabees pacing back and forth like caged animals during "There Is Nothing Like a Dame", a staging so effective it was never changed during the run of the show.<ref name = "N186" /> One Logan innovation that Rodgers and Hammerstein reluctantly accepted was to have Cable remove his shirt during the blackout after he and Liat passionately embrace on first meeting, his partial nakedness symbolizing their lovemaking.<ref name = "M121">Maslon, p. 121</ref> As originally planned, Martin was supposed to conclude "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy" with an exuberant cartwheel across the stage. This was eliminated after she vaulted into the orchestra pit, knocking out Rittman.<ref>Logan, p. 289</ref> There were no major difficulties during the four weeks of rehearsal in New York; Martin later remembered that the "gypsy run-through" for friends and professional associates on a bare stage was met with some of the most enthusiastic applause she could remember. One of the few people having trouble was Pinza, who had difficulty adjusting to the constant alterations in the show β he was used to the operatic world, where a role rarely changed once learned. Pinza's mispronunciations of English exasperated Logan, and driving to [[New Haven, Connecticut]] for the first week of previews, Pinza discussed with his wife the possibility of a return to the Met, where he knew audiences would welcome him. She told him to let ''South Pacific''<nowiki/>'s attendees decide for themselves. When the tryouts began in New Haven on March 7, the play was an immediate hit; the ''[[New Haven Register]]'' wrote, "''South Pacific'' should make history".<ref>Maslon, pp. 126, 129</ref> Nevertheless, a number of changes were made in New Haven and in the subsequent two weeks of previews in Boston. The show was running long; Logan persuaded his friend, playwright [[Emlyn Williams]], to go over the script and cut extraneous dialogue.<ref name = "M129">Maslon, p. 129</ref> There were wide expectations of a hit; producer [[Mike Todd]] came backstage and advised that the show not be taken to New York "because it's too damned good for them".<ref>Nolan, p. 191</ref> The show moved to Boston, where it was so successful that playwright [[George S. Kaufman]] joked that people lining up there at the [[Shubert Theatre (Boston)|Shubert Theatre]] "don't actually want anything ... They just want to push money under the doors."<ref name=Nolan190>Nolan, pp. 190β195</ref> [[File:South Pacific rehearsal.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Four middle-aged men are gathered around to listen to a woman sing from a book|From left: Logan, Rodgers, Hammerstein, Martin and Michener]] ''South Pacific'' opened on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] on April 7, 1949, at the [[Majestic Theatre (Broadway)|Majestic Theatre]].<ref>Hischak, p. 261</ref> The advance sale was $400,000, and an additional $700,000 in sales was made soon after the opening. The first night audience was packed with important Broadway, business, and arts leaders. The audience repeatedly stopped the show with extended applause, which was sustained at length at the final curtain. Rodgers and Hammerstein had preferred, in the past, not to sponsor an afterparty, but they rented the [[St. Regis Hotel]]'s roof and ordered 200 copies of ''[[The New York Times]]'' in the anticipation of a hit. ''Times'' critic [[Brooks Atkinson]] gave the show a rave review.<ref>Fordin, p. 281</ref> Three days after the opening, Pinza signed a contract with MGM to star in films once his obligation to appear in the show expired. He left the show June 1, 1950, replaced by [[Ray Middleton (actor)|Ray Middleton]], though Pinza missed a number of shows due to illness before that. Martin recalled that, unused to performing eight shows a week, the former opera star would sing full out early in the week, leaving himself little voice towards the end, and would have his understudy go on.<ref>Davis, p. 145</ref><ref name = "M154">Maslon, p. 154</ref> Nevertheless, during the year he was in the show, and although aged 58, he was acclaimed as a sex symbol; [[George Jean Nathan]] wrote that "Pinza has taken the place of Hot Springs, Saratoga, and hormone injections for all the other old boys".<ref name = "M154" /> A national tour began in [[Cleveland]], Ohio, in April 1950; it ran for five years and starred [[Richard Eastham]] as Emile, [[Janet Blair]] as Nellie and [[Ray Walston]] as Billis, a role Walston would reprise in London and in the 1958 film. For the 48,000 tickets available in Cleveland, 250,000 requests were submitted, causing the box office to close for three weeks to process them.<ref>Maslon, pp. 153β154</ref> [[Jeanne Bal]] and [[Iva Withers]] were later Nellies on this tour.<ref>Green, p. 399</ref> A scaled-down version toured military bases in Korea in 1951; by the request of Hammerstein and Rodgers, officers and enlisted soldiers sat together to view it.<ref name = "M154" /> Martin left the Broadway production in 1951 to appear in the original London [[West End theatre|West End]] production; [[Martha Wright (actress)|Martha Wright]] replaced her. Despite the departure of both original stars, the show remained a huge attraction in New York.<ref>Davis, p. 147</ref> [[Cloris Leachman]] also played Nellie during the New York run; [[George Britton (musician)|George Britton]] was among the later Emiles.<ref>Mordden 1999, p. 265</ref> The London production ran from November 1, 1951, for 802 performances at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]]. Logan directed; Martin and [[Wilbur Evans]] starred, with Walston as Billis, [[Muriel Smith (singer)|Muriel Smith]] as Bloody Mary and [[Ivor Emmanuel]] in the small role of Sgt. Johnson.<ref>Green, p. 398</ref><ref>Hischak, p. 263</ref> [[Sean Connery]] and Martin's son [[Larry Hagman]], both at the start of their careers, played Seabees in the London production;<ref name = "M156">Maslon, p. 156</ref> [[Julie Wilson]] eventually replaced Martin.<ref>Gould, Mark R. [http://atyourlibrary.org/culture/revival-south-pacific "Revival of ''South Pacific''"], American Library Association, 2012, accessed May 23, 2013</ref> On January 30, 1952, King [[George VI]] attended the production with his daughter [[Elizabeth II|Princess Elizabeth]] and other members of the Royal Family.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S8JVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tr0DAAAAIBAJ&dq=king%20south%20pacific&pg=4033%2C2957444 "King enjoys ''South Pacific''"], ''[[The Age]]'', February 1, 1952, p. 1, accessed June 5, 2013</ref> He died less than a week later.<ref>Fox, Jack V. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=geUdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Lk4EAAAAIBAJ&dq=south%20pacific%20london&pg=6089%2C1939776 "King George VI dies"], UPI via ''[[Pittsburgh Press]]'', February 6, 1952, p. 1, accessed June 5, 2013</ref> The Broadway production transferred to the [[Broadway Theatre (53rd Street)|Broadway Theatre]] in June 1953 to accommodate Rodgers and Hammerstein's new show, ''[[Me and Juliet]]'', although ''South Pacific'' had to be moved to Boston for five weeks because of schedule conflicts.<ref>Nolan, p. 119</ref> When it closed on January 16, 1954, after 1,925 performances, it was the [[List of the longest-running Broadway shows|second-longest-running musical]] in Broadway history, after ''Oklahoma!''. At the final performance, Myron McCormick, the only cast member remaining from the opening, led the performers and audience in "[[Auld Lang Syne]]"; the curtain did not fall but remained raised as the audience left the theatre.<ref>Fordin, p. 282</ref>
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