ONE ENCHANTED EVENING

Sunday along with friends and TLW (The Little Woman), off I went to a great dinner and show in Patchogue, NY.

The dinner at The Main Street Italian Bistro, offered incredible Italian meals with great drinks and a wonderful staff. Call for Information or Reservations at 631-207-6710, and you won’t be sorry. Located in the heart of the village on the south east side, the place reminds me of one of those great finds you discover in Manhattan, the ambiance was great. I had: ‘Gambieri & Capesante- Shrimp and bay scallops in a white wine sauce with garlic and Italian bread crumbs - $23’, a bargain and worth the visit. The Jack Daniels Manhattan was done professionally. The Main Street Italian Bistro has a great outdoor courtyard where you may dine al fresco.

After dinner we casually strolled over to the theatre and prepared ourselves to be wowed, and the singing and music that came out of the Patchogue Theatre did just that. Usually in a local production not every one of them has a Broadway backer, but usually has all the same magic and enthusiasm. 

Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger,
you may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know,
You know even then
That somewhere you'll see her
Again and again.

Some enchanted evening
Someone may be laughing,
You may hear her laughing
Across a crowded room
And night after night,
As strange as it seems
The sound of her laughter
Will sing in your dreams.

Who can explain it?
Who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons,
Wise men never try.

Some enchanted evening
When you find your true love,
When you feel her call you
Across a crowded room,
Then fly to her side,
And make her your own
Or all through your life you
May dream all alone.

Once you have found her,
Never let her go.
Once you have found her,
Never let her go!

South Pacific is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein. The work premiered on Broadway in 1949 and is based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, combining elements of several of the stories. It coincided with the awakening of America and the issue of racism that Jackie Robinson brought to its consciousness.

If there is a criticism, it would be that if you go to a production like South Pacific offered off Broadway, it should be just good enough to compete with Broadway so you would come again. Although most of the time the talent of acting and singing, with the orchestra all come up big, and you fall into what the production challenges you to: to be convinced of another place or time. But this time I was disappointed and it made me take my eye off the action and get into too much detail that disappointed me, mainly, the stage settings and costumes. It was the first time I was disappointed in both. For a lack of imagination the overture, was way too long in terms of visual appeal, using old photos of the South Pacific and World War II, in fact, some of the photos should not have been used at all, depicting people in the military in some cases wearing winter jackets and boots! Come on, this is the South Pacific! If you think time, then show pictures of people at home during the war years too. I may not be a point worth discussing, but it did bother me.

The set was pretty much on constant, with very little change and it can make you start looking at your watch. They needed to bring on at least one more scene to create a better illusion of places, again, not a big deal, but an annoyance to me.

The costume department needs an overhaul, the Sea-Bee costuming and even the sailors uniforms, were not authentic enough to convince me, and the combat helmets looked like toys!

But overall, in spite of what I say, the production was worth your time to see, and you will enjoy it.