SOUTH PACIFIC begins

As if I didn't have enough going on theatrically, I have now gotten myself involved with South Pacific, which will be performing at Virginia Samford Theatre in mid-January. (I guess that answers the whole "what to do between Cinderella and The King & I" question...looks like a Rodgers & Hammerstein Christmas for me! :-)
I am very happy to be playing the role of Captain Brackett, which is the same role my old friend, teacher, and mentor Andy Gainey played in the 1986 (my God...20 years...) production at Summerfest. I will do my best to honor his memory in the part, and perhaps to bring out a bit of A.G. in my interpretation. Brackett is a fairly large part, and it will be fun to act alongside Kristi Tingle-Higginbotham and Bill Bugg (local celebrities, both) in the leading roles.
For those of you who are interested, this is what I know of the cast list:
EMILE DE BECQUE............................Bill Bugg
NELLIE FORBUSH.............................Kristi Tingle-Higginbotham
LUTHER BILLIS.................................Jeff Johnson
LIEUTENANT CABLE.......................Lucas Pepke
BLOODY MARY..................................Ginger Goodall
CAPTAIN BRACKETT.......................Frank Thompson
COMMANDER HARBISON..............Don Everett Garrett
BUZZ ADAMS.....................................Russell Jones
STEWPOT...........................................Raymond Quintero
PROFESSOR.......................................Howard Green
NURSE.................................................Leah Luker
NURSE.................................................Vicki Goldstein
There are others in the cast, but these are the only ones I know going into the rehearsal process. It looks like a fun group, and it will be nice to work with our producer, Jack Mann (who was supposed to direct, but has had to step aside to handle some personal issues) and Dane Peterson, who will be directing the show. There is a pretty big CenterStage representation in the cast, which is very good from the perspective of getting our name spread even more in the community. Melissa is choreographing the show, and Michael King (music director) has also worked with CenterStage a great deal in the past. I am sure that over the next few weeks there will be plenty of South Pacific commentary.
FLT3