#1
Posted: 8/3/09 at 1:19pm
So I went to revisit South Pacific at LCT this Saturday afternoon because I wanted to see Kelli's replacement, Laura Osnes. I get to the theatre and there is an insert - William Michals will be playing Emile. Bummer. Then that beautiful orchestra started and I got lost in the beauty of the show, the shadows of the palms behind the scrim, the romantic and lush sound.
At first sight, Laura struck me as a pro, smirking and bright eyed as Nellie - not anywhere near the reality tv star I feared she would be (I also did some reading up on her and she has put in her time at the regionals-this is no random 20 year old who has done 1 community theater show and high school shows-need I talk about Legally Blonde-the search for Elle on MTV?) William Michals was very handsome when he entered with Laura, although much shorter than Paulo. When he started singing Some Enchanted Evening the audience melted. People were literaly gasping at the beauty and strengh of his voice. His French accent, also, was top notch, unlike the sometimes Brazilian one that breaks through when Paulo speaks.
Loretta was fantastic as usual, a totally serious Bloody Mary, with conviction, not a stereotype cut out of the Bloody Mary in that horrid movie remake. Laura was just fantastic in the entire show, and she got even better in Act 2 just before This Nearly Was Mine. I didn't see any part of Kelli's performance in hers whatsoever. It was completely, utterly, Laura's Nellie. And it was wonderful. You felt her confusion, her sorrow, and her fear of the love she might lose at the end of the show. Literaly tears welling in her eyes. What Laura has going for her is the youth in her performance. The confusion, along with letters from mom back home really made her character more believable.
Kelli is lovely and great in the role, and without all her make up she actually looks around 24. But Kelli often can look around 40 with all of the make-up, wig and such that I think it takes away from the character. Laura's dancing in Honey Bun was also right on, and she even improvised a little of her own with some of the movements during song. I am completely shocked that this girl is 23 years old. To take on a role this huge, and replaceing a Tony nominated star, you have to have some mega chops, and she has it. A complete professional and a refreshing take on Nellie Forbush. Every detail of her movements and speaking is purposefull and creative. The rest of the cast was fantastic as well - Andrew Somonsky as Cable had a great voice and I liked his dry, shruggish acting for the role. Danny Burstein is fantastic too and I noticed a choice he made which literally gave me goosebumps. After he gives the flowers to Nellie from Emile and she sits to think, he comes slowly close behind her and just nearly touches her on the end, as if to say "it will be alright". Just fantastic.
SO! Anyone who has not seen the show or wants to see it again, please check it out, especially before Laura leaves, because she is totally worth seeing and the show is still in tip top shape!
At first sight, Laura struck me as a pro, smirking and bright eyed as Nellie - not anywhere near the reality tv star I feared she would be (I also did some reading up on her and she has put in her time at the regionals-this is no random 20 year old who has done 1 community theater show and high school shows-need I talk about Legally Blonde-the search for Elle on MTV?) William Michals was very handsome when he entered with Laura, although much shorter than Paulo. When he started singing Some Enchanted Evening the audience melted. People were literaly gasping at the beauty and strengh of his voice. His French accent, also, was top notch, unlike the sometimes Brazilian one that breaks through when Paulo speaks.
Loretta was fantastic as usual, a totally serious Bloody Mary, with conviction, not a stereotype cut out of the Bloody Mary in that horrid movie remake. Laura was just fantastic in the entire show, and she got even better in Act 2 just before This Nearly Was Mine. I didn't see any part of Kelli's performance in hers whatsoever. It was completely, utterly, Laura's Nellie. And it was wonderful. You felt her confusion, her sorrow, and her fear of the love she might lose at the end of the show. Literaly tears welling in her eyes. What Laura has going for her is the youth in her performance. The confusion, along with letters from mom back home really made her character more believable.
Kelli is lovely and great in the role, and without all her make up she actually looks around 24. But Kelli often can look around 40 with all of the make-up, wig and such that I think it takes away from the character. Laura's dancing in Honey Bun was also right on, and she even improvised a little of her own with some of the movements during song. I am completely shocked that this girl is 23 years old. To take on a role this huge, and replaceing a Tony nominated star, you have to have some mega chops, and she has it. A complete professional and a refreshing take on Nellie Forbush. Every detail of her movements and speaking is purposefull and creative. The rest of the cast was fantastic as well - Andrew Somonsky as Cable had a great voice and I liked his dry, shruggish acting for the role. Danny Burstein is fantastic too and I noticed a choice he made which literally gave me goosebumps. After he gives the flowers to Nellie from Emile and she sits to think, he comes slowly close behind her and just nearly touches her on the end, as if to say "it will be alright". Just fantastic.
SO! Anyone who has not seen the show or wants to see it again, please check it out, especially before Laura leaves, because she is totally worth seeing and the show is still in tip top shape!
