Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1949 "Happy Talk" musical received a freshening up on Broadway in 2008 with a revival at New York's Lincoln Center. But two years later, its revitalization has come to an end. The romantic two-part tale is set during the Second World War in the South Pacific—as the title would indicate. The first love story focuses on Arkansas native Ensign Nellie Forbush, who quickly falls for middle-aged French plantation owner, Emile de Becque. Separately, Lt. Joe Cable becomes smitten with the beautiful Tonkinese daughter of the local grass-skirt peddler, named Liat, even though she only speaks French. As the war wages on, reality soon sets in for both love-sick Americans, who find out how complicated it is to reconcile what their hearts want and what their long-held prejudices have lead them to believe. The show opened in April 2008 to rave reviews—Kelli O'Hara wowed as Nellie (a role she's since returned to for the performance's final days) and
Glee's Matthew Morrison starred as Lt. Cable. But 1,000 performances later, it's now saying goodbye. "I'm darned if I can find one serious flaw in this production,"
The New York Times reviewed. "In making the past feel unconditionally present, this production restores a glorious gallery of genuine people who were only waiting to be resurrected."
South Pacific ends its run on Broadway on Sunday, August 22.
They've applied glue to their bikini bottoms, affixed the last crystal to their evening wear, and smeared Vaseline on their teeth. And now, 83 stunning contestants from all over the world will compete for the title of Miss Universe at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort. Former Poison front man Bret Michaels and
Today show correspondent Natalie Morales will play hosts for an evening that brings the most beautiful women from all corners of the Earth—from Albania to Angola and Egypt to Ecuador. Actor Billy Baldwin, former model Niki Taylor, former Wilson Phillips band member Chynna Phillips, illusionist and musician Criss Angel, Olympic champion figure skater Evan Lysacek, and 1980s pop sensation Sheila E will be among the judges during the Sin City competition. And if that motley crew isn't enough to lure you in, perhaps the scandalous images of the Miss Universe contestants in not much more than
body paint or their full-glitz, completely camp looks at the
national costumes photo op last week will do the trick. Miss Australia's ensemble came complete with Ugg boots, while Miss Belgium's dress was plastered with tennis racquets and neon pom-poms and Miss Kazakhstan donned a massive headpiece complete with the flags of all participating countries. If this is a sign of gaudiness to come, we're all in for a treat.
The
2010 Miss Universe Pageant airs on NBC at 9 p.m. EST on Monday, August 23.
While style-savvy Americans are anticipating New York's upcoming Fashion Week in September, in Australia, the highlight of the couture calendar kicks off Monday with Sydney Fashion Week. The country that produced legendary models from Elle Macpherson to Gemma Ward to Rachel Hunter to Miranda Kerr is playing host to the five-day festival, which will showcase more than 130 innovative Australian designers. This year, the setting moves to Sydney's newly redesigned Town Hall, where international designers such as Alex Perry and Sass & Bide will reveal their Spring/Summer 2011 collections. And for the first time in seven years, Australian designer Peter Morrissey, who has dressed rock stars like Jon Bon Jovi, will return to the catwalk with his latest label. "It will be a bit rock and roll, a bit ... sexy," Morrissey told
Sky News. "I'm really proud of the end product." But how will it measure up against the other collections down under? It's not over until the last model hits the runway.
Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival begins on Monday, August 23 and lasts until Saturday, August 28.
Just a year after her heavily praised novel
Labor Day, Joyce Maynard is back with another sensitive coming of age story, this time set in
Mad Men-era America.
The Good Daughters follows two young girls, Ruth Plank and Dana Dickerson, born in the same hospital on the same day. The pair alternates narrating duty as they unfold the story of their neighboring families, who stay in touch through once-yearly visits at the Dickerson farm in rural New Hampshire. As their paths in life continue to diverge both Ruth and Dana struggle with becoming adults in the 1960s, and eventually come to realize the mysterious ties between their two families in a novel
Publisher's Weekly calls "exquisite."
The Good Daughters
is available starting on Tuesday, August 24.
Sure, we may be embroiled in multiple wars along with environmental and economic crises of unprecedented proportions, but what does the American public really need to know to get through these tough times? How to think, look, and act like a guido, of course! Riding on the success of shows like
Jersey Shore and
The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Snooki superfans can now pick up a copy of
Fist Pump: An In-Your-Face Guide to Going Guido courtesy of, well, a guido named Guido. For those of us who need help brushing up on our "Gym, Tan, Laundry" routine, Guido DiErio (who also founded www.guidofistpump.com) is here to help, and has compiled a guide with tips on hairstyling, club etiquette, and the signature guido dance move, the fist pump. Is it just us, or did America just get slightly more tan?
Fist Pump: An In-Your-Face Guide to Going Guido
hits shelves on Tuesday, August 24.
Every year, Entertainment Weekly gives nominated, presenting, and "just happy to be here" celebrities a chance to calm their pre-Emmy nerves with a party the night before the big telecast. From
Glee's fresh faces to the stars of the more somber World War II miniseries
The Pacific, the most important people in television are expected to attend and likely, the liquor will be flowing. Last year, for example,
Mad Men's mysteriously dapper ad ex Jon Hamm spoke to EW about his excitement for the ceremony and it seemed as if he'd already been enjoying the magazine's open bar. "It's excited to a be a part of this whole endeavor and it's just fun, we're fun, we're having fun," an allegedly buzzed Don Draper told reporters at last year's
EW Emmy eve soiree. When asked why he decided to attend, he responded: "They have this nice time so I vote yes." Stars… they're just like us.
The 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards' Entertainment Weekly/Revlon Party will take place on Saturday, August 28.
