Pacific Overtures
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| Pacific Overtures | |
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| Music | Stephen Sondheim |
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| Lyrics | Stephen Sondheim |
| Book | John Weidman, additional material by Hugh Wheeler |
| Productions | 1976 Broadway 2003 West End 2004 Broadway revival |
Pacific Overtures is a 1976 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a libretto by John Weidman, and additional material by Hugh Wheeler, set in 1853 Japan. The title of the work is ironic, nodding toward "overture" as a musical form, and archly noting that the initiatives of the Western powers for commercial exploitation of the Pacific nation were anything but pacific overtures. Built around a quasi-Japanese pentatonic scale, the music contrasts Japanese contemplation ("There is No Other Way") with Western ingeniousness ("Please Hello," "Pretty Lady"). Sondheim said in 1976 that "Someone in a Tree," where two witnesses describe negotiations between Japanese and Americans, was his personal favorite of all the songs he had written. "A Bowler Hat" neatly encapsulates the show's theme, as a samurai gradually sells out to the Westerners.
The musical's original Broadway production in 1976 was presented in Kabuki style, with men playing women's parts and set changes made in full view of the audience by people dressed in black. "Pacific Overtures" opened to mixed reviews and closed after six months (nevertheless being nominated for 10 Tony Awards), yet today the score is widely considered to be one of Sondheim's finest, and the show is occasionally revived.
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[edit] Productions
Pacific Overtures opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on January 11, 1976, and closed after 193 performances on June 27, 1976. The original cast recording was released originally by RCA Records and later on CD. This production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, and won Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson) and Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz).
A major production of the show was mounted by the English National Opera in 1987. The production was recorded in its entirety, preserving nearly the entire libretto as well as the score.
A critically acclaimed 2001 Chicago Shakespeare Theater production of the show transferred to the West End Donmar Warehouse, where it ran from June 30, 2003 until September 6, 2003 and received the 2003 Olivier Award for Best Musical Production.
A Broadway revival ran at Studio 54 from December 2, 2004 to January 30, 2005, starring B.D. Wong and several members of the original cast. A new Broadway recording, with new (reduced) orchestrations by Sondheim's oftentime orchestrator Jonathan Tunick was released by PS Classics, with additional material not included on the original cast album. The production was nominated for 4 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. Wong played the Narrator in the revival.
[edit] Synopsis
The story is told from the points of view of two Japanese men, a samurai and a fisherman. Four Western ships arrive ominously, opening the feudal country to foreign trade and visitors for the first time in 250 years. Some of the Japanese resist the outside invasion, persisting in their ancient feudal tradition, while others embrace the Westerners and assimiliate. Commodore Perry arrives, and the Convention of Kanagawa is negotiated. Years pass, and in the end, Japan's shoguns and emperors have been replaced by businessmen in three-piece suits. The finale ("Next") shifts abruptly to the (1976) present.
[edit] Original 1976 Cast
- Mako -- Reciter, Shogun, Jonathan Goble
- Soon-Teck Oh -- Tamate, Kayama's Wife, Samurai, Storyteller, Swordsman
- Isao Sato-- Kayama
- Yuki Shimoda -- Abe, First Councillor
- Sab Shimono -- Manjiro
- Ernest Abuba -- Samurai, Adams, Noble
- James Dybas -- Second Councillor, Old Man, French Admiral
- Timm Fujii -- Son, Priest, Girl, Noble, British Sailor,
- Haruki Fujimoto -- Servant, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
- Larry Hama-- Williams, Lord of the South
- Ernest Harada -- Physician, Madam, British Admiral
- Alvin Ing -- Shogun's Mother, Observer, Merchant, American Admiral
- Patrick Kinser-Lau -- Shogun's Companion
- Jae Woo Lee -- Fisherman, Sumo Wrestler, Lord of the South
- Freddy Mao -- Third Councillor, Samurai's Daughter
- Tom Matsusaka -- Imperial Priest
- Freda Foh Shen -- Shogun's Wife
- Mark Hsu Syers -- Samurai, Thief, Soothsayer, Warrior, Russian Admiral, British Sailor
- Ricardo Tobia -- Observer
- Gedde Watanabe-- Priest
- Conrad Yama -- Grandmother, Sumo Wrestler, Japanese Merchant
- Fusako Yoshida -- Musician, Shamisen
[edit] Musical Numbers
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[edit] Awards and nominations
- Original 1976 Broadway
- Tony Awards
- Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz) (WINNER)
- Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson) (WINNER)
- Best Musical (nominee)
- Best Director (Harold Prince) (nominee)
- Best Score (nominee)
- Best Book (John Weidman) (nominee)
- Best Actor (Mako) (nominee)
- Best Featured Actor (Isao Sato) (nominee)
- Best Choreography (Patricia Birch) (nominee)
- Best Lighting Design (Tharon Musser) (nominee)
- Outstanding Musical/Book (nominee)
- Outstanding Music and Lyrics (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Haruki Fujimoto) nominee)
- Outstanding Choreography (nominee)
- Outstanding Director of a Musical (nominee)
- Outstanding Costume Design (WINNER)
- Outstanding Set Design (WINNER)
- 2004 Broadway Revival
- Best Revival of a Musical (nominee)
- Best Orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick) (nominee)
- Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Set and Mask Design--Rumi Matsui) (nominee)
- Best Costume Design of a Musical (Junko Koshino) (nominee)
[edit] External links
- Pacific Overtures on Sondheim.com
- Pacific Overtures on sondheimguide
- A 1998 Interview with 3 Original Cast members
- Pacific Overtures (1976) at the Internet Broadway Database
- Pacific Overtures (2004 at the Internet Broadway Database
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