Music and message will provide 'Some Enchanted Evening'

Emile de Becque, played by Greg Hepp, introduces his children, Ngama and Jerome, played by Lanie Overton and Isaac Hinze, to Barbara Leising in the role of Ensign Nellie Forbush. Maury Green, in back, portrays Henry, the native servant.

While we may still catch a glimpse of winter over the next few weeks, thoughts easily drift to warmer climates thanks to the Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association's production of South Pacific.

Performed at the McCook High School Auditorium, South Pacific is scheduled for this Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., as well as three performances next weekend on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22, both at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m.

Last produced in McCook in 1993, the current South Pacific production is directed by Don Harpst with Janet Hepp as assistant to the director. In the audience for the dress rehearsal this week was Kenneth Gansebom, a much-beloved McCook teacher, who also directed South Pacific in 1963 at MHS and in 1973 at McCook Community College.

Sailor Luther Billis, aka Daniel Jordan (left), chats it up with U.S. Marine Corps. Lt. Joseph Cable, played by David Sandman, in the Southwest Nebraska Community Theatre Association's production of South Pacific.

Originally created by the famous duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein, South Pacific includes music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The plot draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific.

As is common to many Rodgers and Hammerstein productions, South Pacific also deals with political issues. In this case, it is racial prejudice as demonstrated through a World War II nurse, played in the SWNCTA production by Barbara Leising, who falls in love with a French expatriate with multi-racial children; and a U.S. Lieutenant, played by David Sandman, who falls in love with a young Asian woman.

Set on an island in the South Pacific during World War II, the musical opens with the French song, "Dites-Moi," sung by two half-Polynesian children. Played by Lanie Overton and Isaac Hinze in the SWNCTA production, both children remarkably speak only French during their entire time on stage, except for a few "no's."

The cast of nurses sing one of South Pacific's most famous songs, "I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair."

At this point, I was wishing I had brushed up on my French, but even without understanding the words, the songs were still beautiful.

Entering the production, you may say that you don't know anything about the play. That is exactly what I thought - until what is arguably the musical's most recognizable song begins, "Some Enchanted Evening." Throughout the evening, the cast begins a song and suddenly you find yourself singing along to a song you always knew but never knew where it originated.

Familiar, famous songs fill the production such as "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" and "Happy Talk."

Kenneth Gansebom (front row, center), a former teacher at McCook High School and McCook Community College, visits the production of South Pacific by the Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association during dress rehearsals. During his tenure in McCook, Gansebom became very familiar with the production, directing South Pacific in 1963 at MHS and in 1973 at MCC, and ultimately directed about 20 musicals while in McCook from 1961-1974. Now 95, he lives in Wayne, Nebraska. He was joined on-stage by several former students, as well as the current director and crew members, including (front row, from left) Charles Coleman, Janet Hepp, Don Harpst, Christy Stevens, (back row) Sheryl Havens, Dian Trail, Marie Coffey, Keri Ohlson, Matt Barnes, and Lonnie Weyeneth.

There is a reason the play continues to be so popular more than 50 years since it was first performed. The play is a sound blend of spoken conversations between the large group of characters and songs and dance routines by individuals, as well as the large groups of cast members.

And the theme, while extremely controversial especially when the musical first premiered in 1949, is universal. A background of the story is helpful, yet anyone can walk into the production and easily follow the storyline.

The 75 members of the cast and crew represent a vast cross-section of the community. Nearly 40 members of the cast have been rehearsing on a regular basis since the beginning of January, including Leising as Nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush and Greg Hepp as Emile de Becque. They had the daunting task of covering some of the musicals most famous songs and both perform wonderfully.

Dozens of production crew-members have been just as busy with everything from choreography by Keri Ohlson to make-up by Cheryl Scott, Pam Messinger and Janet Hepp. And many people took on multiple-roles to bring the production to life.

As always, the orchestra -- with more than a dozen members -- provides the perfect accompaniment, as well as introductory and conclusion songs of their own, led by Music Director Christy Stevens.

This is no short, little production. There is a reason the cast and orchestra spent nearly three months in rehearsals. South Pacific runs approximately 2 ½ hours including a 10-minute intermission.