Overview
Drawing
on extensive research in the Rodgers and the Hammerstein papers,
including Hammerstein's personal notes on James A. Michener's Tales of the South Pacific,
Jim Lovensheimer offers a fascinating reading of "South Pacific" that
explores the show's complex messages and demonstrates how the
presentation of those messages changed throughout the creative process.
Indeed, the author shows how Rodgers and especially Hammerstein
continually refined and softened the theme of racial intolerance until
it was more acceptable to mainstream Broadway audiences. Likewise,
Lovensheimer describes the treatment of gender and colonialism in the
musical, tracing how it both reflected and challenged early Cold War Era
American norms. The book also offers valuable background to the writing
of "South Pacific," exploring the earlier careers of both Rodgers and
Hammerstein, showing how they frequently explored serious social issues
in their other works, and discussing their involvement in the political
movements of their day, such as Hammerstein's founding membership in the
Hollywood Anti-Nazi League. Finally, the book features many wonderful
appendices, including two that compare the original draft and final form
of the classic songs "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair" and
"I'm In Love With a Wonderful Guy."
Thoroughly researched and
compellingly written, this superb book offers a rich, intriguing
portrait of a Broadway masterpiece and the era in which it was created.