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Passion, Prejudice and South Pacific: An Interview With Director Steven C. Smith

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

On Wednesday evening, there will be a screening of a documentary film which examines the history of one of Broadway and the cinema’s most popular shows ever, South Pacific. KMUW’s Aileen LeBlanc sat down with director Steven C. Smith to discuss his film “Passion, Prejudice and South Pacific.”

Credit Sean Sandefur
News Director, Aileen LeBlanc and Documentary Director, Steven C. Smith in the KMUW studios.

In 1949, post-war audiences saw a musical that was breathtaking in its scope. Soon after, the show’s songs burst onto the hit parade.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein with director Joshua Logan, had taken “Tales of the South Pacific,” James Michener’s first novel, and made it into an unforgettable show.

In 1958, a film adaptation was produced by the same team. The movie brought the magic of the Broadway hit into small towns across America. It was a love story, a war story and most of all, a story about passion and prejudice. How do those mix?

Find out by listening to the interview above. 

The Music Theatre of Wichita and the Tallgrass Film Association will be presenting a free screening of ”Passion, Prejudice and South Pacific” at the Wichita Orpheum Theater on Wednesday, May 7 at 7pm.

The Music Theatre of Wichita will have a production of "South Pacific" on June 11-15.