South Pacific’ remake terrific

ORONO — Friday at the Maine Center for the Arts was some enchanted evening, as Bangor Community Theatre showed why “South Pacific” is both a Pulitzer Prize-winning and much-beloved musical. Fifty actor-singers, backed by John Haskell’s able group of musicians, put on a splendid performance of the story of two couples on a Navy-occupied Pacific island during World War II.

Sam Lanham III and Katie Rockwell were adorable as Marine Lt. Joe Cable and his islander sweetheart, Liat. The pair are boyfriend and girlfriend off stage, as well.

Lanham used his voice to good effect, singing sweetly in early songs such as “Bali Ha’i” and “Younger than Springtime,” and with more strength and depth in the serious “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught,” with its lessons about intolerance.

Heather Astbury as the female lead, Ensign Nellie Forbush, was both earnest and musical as the uncertain girlfriend of plantation owner Emile DeBecque, a Frenchman who has been on the island for many years. She made a most convincing cockeyed optimist who capably carried her solos and her duets with Emile.

Rosanno Brazzi played Emile in the 1958 movie based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, but Stephen Gormley does the part better. Romantic and rich-voiced and possessing a convincing Parisian accent, Gormley commanded the stage and was totally charming as Emile.

He delivered shivers with “Some Enchanted Evening,” singing “Who can it explain it, who can tell you why?” All of his songs were absolutely marvelous, especially the poignant “This Nearly Was Mine.”

Everybody expected great things from Darlene Mogul, reprising the part of Bloody Mary from 12 years ago, and she delivered, whether singing the enticing “Bali Ha’i” or calling Luther Billis a “chipskate” for trying to purchase her souvenirs cheaply.

As Billis, Ben Layman was a treat, showing a major league voice and heart as the conniving sailor.

Layman and Astbury did a great job with role reversal in the Thanksgiving skit, as he donned a grass skirt and skimpy top while she put on a sailor suit for the full-of-fun “Honey Bun.” Astbury showed a touch of “Saturday Night Live” comedian Molly Shannon in several spots.

With community theater, the trick always is getting the cast to work together, and this group gets high marks from the sailors and the nurse ensigns to minor players and the ballet dancers from the Robinson Ballet Company.

Basically a lighthearted play, the production still managed to convey the heavy heart of war, from the reported death of Joe Cable to the worrying and planning for battle.

Hal Wheeler as Capt. Brackett

and Shaun Dowd as Commander Harbison were effective as officers waiting for word of the secret mission on another island. It was a powerful moment when the voices of Emile DeBecque and Joe Cable came over the radio.

Special notice goes to Art Bousquet for set design. The removal of white lattice and wicker furniture for Emile’s terrace revealed an ingenious wooden set for scenes involving naval personnel, a stage-length structure with flaps that lifted to create areas for the radio shack and various offices, for example.

Kevin Bate directed a play that was much appreciated by audiences throughout the weekend, and with good reason. The Bangor Community Theatre has roots that go back more than a half-century. With this energy and this talent, the group is well prepared to keep theatergoers coming back for 50 more years.