Once again, South Pacific is done and over. I got to interview director Bill Payne to see how the process was for him. In my attempt to find out as much as I can about racial themes in musicals, I am happy that I've gotten the opportunity to interview so many people involved.
What drew you to the show in the first place?
Honestly, it was selected for our season. I've known the music forever, the play was new to me. But I love the challenge of musicals and I believe that text can be more effectively sung than spoken.
What, if any, were worries you had about dealing with the theme of racism in the show?
The show presents a very stereotypical, racist portrayal of a Chinese woman - Bloody Mary. I worried that, if not diligent, she could come off as very offensive. I also worried a little bit about the casting pool not being diverse enough.
What issues did you come up against in regards to the theme of racism, and how did you overcome them?
The actor playing Bloody Mary, Andrea Schmidt, did a great job of exploring her role. She is a careful, complete, and sensitive actor. I couldn't have asked for a better person to play the role. Her portrayal was filled with details that blew the stereotype into a three dimensional person.
The actors were a little uncomfortable playing racists, even though it was fairly tame by the standards of reality. They got over it.
What did you hope to achieve by putting the shoe on (ex. to educate, to be an example for society, etc)?
I wanted to entertain, first and foremost. Second, reach a broad audience. Third, make sure the script was done in a way that brought to life the darker side of this story. With every play I do, I recognize this is a public act. With a play like this, I attempt to connect with various communities regarding the content. I believe we did that with Veterans and the Asian American campus community
Did you feel you achieved this goal?
Yes.
Short and sweet, thanks to Bill Payne for this insight into the director's process.
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