WHITEFISH – Fourteen sailors gathered late last week, pondering an abundance of tropical fruit and beach games around them while bemoaning the curious lack of women in the area.
“There is nothin’ like a dame,” they sang in unison. “Nothin’ in the world.”
The song, of course, comes from the classic musical “South Pacific,” and the 14 “sailors” make up the men’s chorus in the 2010 collaboration between the Alpine Theatre Project and the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, taking place on Jan. 29, 30 and 31.
This is the fourth collaboration between the groups for their “On Stage!” series, which partners two of the Flathead’s favorite acts. Previous shows included “The Sound of Music,” “Westside Story” and “The Music Man.”
“South Pacific” promises to bring a little tropical warmth to the Northwest Montana winter. The story, set on an island in the Pacific during World War II, follows a young nurse as she falls in love with a French man who is asked to go on a dangerous mission. The musical, written for the stage in 1949 by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, includes classic tunes, such as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bali H’ai,” “Younger than Springtime” and “A Wonderful Guy.”
It was also one of the first large-scale musicals to contain social commentary on racism, said Luke Walrath of ATP. Walrath is co-directing his group with Betsi Morrison. Tension builds between the American military personnel and the native Polynesian people during the story, bringing a sense of drama and significance.
The ATP and GSC version of “South Pacific” will largely skirt these issues and focus instead on the music, Walrath said, because it will be performed as a concert instead of a full production. There will still be distinct characters in the concert, but all cast members will be on the stage with books in hand.
A classic like “South Pacific” gives ATP a chance to showcase its male talent, unlike many modern plays and musicals, Walrath said.
“It’s fun, we wanted to do something with a large group of guys,” Walrath said, looking over his men’s chorus.
The love story also ranked high with potential audience members. The ATP and GSC polled supporters to see what they wanted to watch on stage and of the five options, “South Pacific” was the easy favorite, Walrath said.
ATP is known for its world-class talent and productions. Founded by actors David Ackroyd, Morrison and Walrath, the group often brings in artists from Broadway and other large theater companies to perform for the Flathead. Honorary board members include John Lithgow, Olympia Dukakis, Robert Goulet, and Henry Winkler.
This show will also have some additional star power. ATP will host Broadway actors John Wilkerson, who performed “South Pacific” as Goulet’s understudy, and Robert Creighton, who has acted in several major productions, including “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid.”
For Walrath, “South Pacific” marks a full-circle journey with Rodgers and Hammerstein. After performing in “Oklahoma!” Walrath said he was tired of the famous duo’s material. However, directing this musical made him revisit the classic and brought a new appreciation for the time-tested music.
“They just don’t write like this anymore,” Walrath said. “They wrote from a viewpoint of eternal optimism.”
For members of the Glacier Symphony, the collaboration offers a chance to break away from their usual classical symphony pieces and work with something a little more playful. GSC Music Director and Conductor John Zoltek said this year’s production calls for a smaller chamber orchestra, with a full complement of strings and brass.
“The score to ‘South Pacific’ is lots of fun,” Zoltek said. “It has a lot of musical depth to it.”
Working with ATP is also enjoyable for the symphony, Zoltek said, and the joint effort provides a distinctive experience for Flathead audiences.
“It’s a very unique thing for two organizations to continue to do a successful collaboration every year,” Zoltek said.
Performances of “South Pacific” are scheduled on Jan. 29 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center, Jan. 30 at the Whitefish PAC and Jan. 31 at the Flathead High School Auditorium. For tickets, visit www.alpinetheatreproject.org or www.glaciersymphonychorale.org.