For one night only, Saturday, Feb. 8, you can have a “South Pacific”-themed dinner and a concert along with an IMAX movie in Norwalk. The “midwinter tropical escape” has three parts:
The highlight is a concert with Broadway actors and Norwalk Symphony Orchestra performing songs from the musical “South Pacific”; also, a prix fixe dinner at one of several Norwalk restaurants; and before all that, an IMAX movie at the Maritime Aquarium, “Journey to the South Pacific” will be presented twice in the afternoon.
The Show (a Concert Adaptation)
Norwalk Symphony Orchestra is producing the famed Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, “South Pacific,” for one night only in a unique collaboration with actors and singers of New Paradigm Theatre of Stamford.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in Norwalk City Hall’s Concert Hall. This concert adaptation was created by David Ives for the Carnegie Hall benefit concert of “South Pacific” in 2006.
Set in an island paradise during World War II, two parallel love stories are threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war. Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with a mature French planter, Emile.
— click here for bios of the actors
Nellie learns that the mother of his children was an island native and, unable to turn her back on the prejudices with which she was raised, refuses Emile’s proposal of marriage.
Meanwhile, the strapping Lt. Joe Cable denies himself the fulfillment of a future with an innocent Tonkinese girl with whom he’s fallen in love out of the same fears that haunt Nellie.
When Emile is recruited to accompany Joe on a dangerous mission that claims Joe’s life, Nellie realizes that life is too short not to seize her own chance for happiness, thus confronting and conquering her prejudices.
Jonathan Yates is the NSO’s music director and conductor. Featured performers include Broadway stars Benjamin Howes as Luther Billis and Patrick Connaghan as Lt. Cable, along with Emily Kristen Morris as Nellie Forbush, Luke Scott as Emile and Cidalia Kettles as Bloody Mary.
There will be a pre-concert and intermission reception where you can mix with the cast. Maestro Jonathan Yates, Kristin Huffman from New Paradigm Theatre, and Stage Director Claire Kelly, from Shakespeare on the Sound, will present their pre-concert talk to those attending the reception.
A separate ticket is needed for the reception and is also available when purchasing show tickets.
Concert tickets range from $50 to $25 (students $10), with an additional option for pre-concert/intermission receptions. All tickets at the door will be $50. Reserve tickets in advance through the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra website. (Aquarium members can learn how to get their discount at the aquarium website.)
Dinner
These Norwalk restaurants will have prix fixe dinners that night:
—La Calle Arepas Bar (Venezualan cuisine)— 74 North Main St. — Yelp — TripAdvisor — CTbites article (July 2018)
—Paella Restaurant (Spanish) — 44-46 Main St. — Yelp — TripAdvisor
—Evarito’s Mexican Kitchen — 16 North Main St. — Yelp — TripAdvisor — Food Dudes review (Feb. 1)
IMAX Movie
For that day only, the Maritime Aquarium will present an IMAX movie, “Journey to the South Pacific,” showing at 12 noon and 3 p.m.
The 40-minute movie travels to the very real tropical islands of West Papua, where life flourishes above and below the sea.
The film follows a young island boy on a journey of discovery, encountering whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays and other iconic creatures of the sea. The movie is one of three playing daily; you can choose one for free as part of your Maritime Aquarium admission.
Aquarium President Jason Patlis will introduce the 3 p.m. screening, explaining the importance of conservation efforts in the South Pacific.
Patlis helped to shape new laws in Indonesia in the 2000s concerning forestry and coastal-resource management, and later worked for marine conservation in that region through his leadership roles at the World Wildlife Fund, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Regular adult admission is $26.95, with discounted prices for children and seniors.
Maritime Aquarium members can receive 10 percent discounts on tickets for “South Pacific: In Concert” with advance purchase. (Offer is not applicable to student pricing.)