PHOTOS from "South Pacific" at Surflight Theatre

by John Posada
06/20/2024

(BEACH HAVEN, NJ) -- Surflight Theatre is presenting the beloved musical theatre classic South Pacific from June 19 through July 7, 2024. It takes place during World War II where Nellie, a nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a local French estate owner, Emile. Meanwhile, Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent girl with whom he's fallen in love. When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe's life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

South Pacific won the Pulitzer Prize and 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. An iconic song list includes: Some Enchanted Evening, Bali Ha’I, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair and many others. It was recently revived on Broadway to great acclaim, and is a great favorite for its still current themes and societal observations not to mention its glorious score.

Andrew Glant-Linden directs and choreographs. He won the Carbonell Award for Best Director for his production of Man of La Mancha as well as the Carbonell Award winner for Best Choreographer for West Side Story. He was also nominated for his productions of Grand Hotel and The Secret Garden. His other past directing and choreography credits include Off-Broadway productions of Fifth of July, Side by Side by Sondheim, The Baker’s Wife with composer Stephen Schwartz. Andrew has directed and choreographed NYC premieres of Jules, Heaven Knows, and I Prefer To Dream. His regional theatre credits include multiple productions of Sweeney Todd, Blood Brothers, Carousel, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita, Cabaret, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, and Company. He has worked over 1100 performances as Swing Stage Manager at Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. He is assisted by Beverly Brennan.

The show also features Musical Direction by Nicholas Kaminski assisted by Julia Zusi, Scenic Design by Christopher Strangfeld, Costume Design by Carla Gant assisted by Amanda Chiaro, Sound Design by Ian Wehrle, and Lighting Design by Anthony Marinaro, Prop design Maria Laird.

South Pacific stars Deanna Doyle (with credits including Meg Giry in Broadway's Phantom of the Opera and 17-year-old Winnie Foster in Broadway's Tuck Everlasting, Lise in the Broadway tour of An American in Paris, and Vera in Surflight's On Your Toes) as Nellie Forbush, John D. Smitherman (with International, Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional credits including Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Sam in Mamma Mia, Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha) as Emile De Becque, Ellen Dumlao (with credits including Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar and Tina Turner in Beehive, along with portraying Bloody Mary in South Pacific (at Interlakes Theater) as Bloody Mary, Lexie Brown (last seen as Precious in Surflight’s Steel Pier) as Liat, Don Daniels (last seen as the Old Man in Surflight’s A Christmas Story, along with other credits including Ziggy in the 1st National Tour of Young Frankenstein and the National Tour of Big River) as Luther Billis, and Sage Spiker (seen earlier this season as Elvis in Surflight’s Million Dollar Quartet, along with regional and Off-Broadway credits of Gerry in Beautiful and Charlie in Kinky Boots) as Lt. Joseph Cable.

The show also features Mike Brennan as Captain Brackett, Vincent Law as Henri, Noah A. Lyon as Stewpot, Nathan Roberts as Cmdr. William Harbison, Abigail Juarez as Ngana, and Edahl Juarez as Jerome. Others in the cast include Surflight’s Resident Company: Ben Halperin, Makayla LaBode, Gina Marcinkowski, Sean McCrystal, Alyssa Minuto, Gabriela Moncivais, Alison Nusbaum, Jordan Polefka, Emily Steindl, Jack Supan, Teagan Tillman, Todd Turner, and Lanie Walsh.

Performances take place June 20, 23, 25, 30, July 2, 7 at 2:00pm and June 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, July 2, 3, 5, 6 at 8:00pm. Tickets are $43 for adults and $33 for children 12 and under.  Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling (609)492-9477. Group pricing is available.

Surflight Theatre is located at 201 Engleside Avenue in Beach Haven, New Jersey.

Here are more photos from the production.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. Currently, John has spent the last 6 years concentrating on photographing almost 400 theater productions at over 70 different NJ theatres. Click here for John's website.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. Currently, John has spent the last 6 years concentrating on photographing almost 400 theater productions at over 70 different NJ theatres. Click here for John's website.