South Pacific opens in Brisbane

Christine Anu, Gyton Grantley, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Lisa McCune in South Pacific.
Christine Anu, Gyton Grantley, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Lisa McCune in South Pacific. Image by Kurt Sneddon

Opera Australia’s smash hit musical South Pacific officially opens at Lyric Theatre QPAC tonight starring Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Lisa McCune, Gyton Grantley and Christine Anu.

Preview performances commenced on December 27 and the show has been enjoying strong sales and enthusiastic audience responses.

Based on the island of Espiritu Santo during World War II, the musical South Pacific is adapted from James A. Michener’s novel Tales of the South Pacific with music and lyrics by Rogers and Hammerstein.

After successful seasons in 2012 at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, South Pacific will play until January 27 in Brisbane and will return to the Sydney Opera House later this year due to popular demand. South Pacific made history last year, recording the highest number of ticket sales for any show staged inside the Sydney Opera House.

Lyndon Terracini, Artistic Director of Opera Australia, teamed up with Australia’s largest commercial theatre producer, John Frost to bring this revival of South Pacific to the Australian stage. This smart new producing relationship is part of Opera Australia’s new venture into Broadway-style music theatre, aiming to connect with new audiences and spread its considerable creative talents into a new field.

“We are very proud of this show” said Lyndon Terracini, Artistic Director of Opera Australia.

“We knew we had a winner right from the start with this sensational creative team of Australian and American talents headed up by Bartlett Sher, and the best possible cast. Lisa McCune and Teddy Tahu Rhodes have been a knock-out pair whose chemistry on stage has been clear from the start.”

Visit www.southpacificmusical.com.au for more information

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).

Erin James

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