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Pacific Overtures
Book by
John Weidman
Music by
Stephen Sondheim
Lyrics by
Stephen Sondheim
Two Acts, Book Musical, Rated PG
“Nippon. The floating kingdom. An island empire which for centuries has lived in perfect peace, undisturbed by intruders from across the sea…”
That is until Commodore Matthew Perry and an American fleet arrive in 1853 to “open” it up to the West, and a civilization of timeless tradition and seamless serenity begins to unravel under the impact of new ideas.
Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, authors of “Assassins,” explore the painful Westernization of Japan through the story of two friends caught in the inevitable winds of change. Mixing elements of Kabuki theatre with the conventions of the Broadway musical, “Pacific Overtures” is considered by many to be the artistic pinnacle of the legendary Sondheim/Prince collaborations. A highly original, inventive, powerful, educational and surprisingly humorous theatrical experience, it pushes the boundaries of musical theatre farther than ever before. Every musical number is a revelation in a groundbreaking score containing material Sondheim considers his best.
Visit the Pacific Overtures page on MTI ShowSpace to share and view photos, video, costume and prop rentals and more. Click here.
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The acclaimed Paper Mill Playhouse production of Children Of Eden (which was compared favorably in the press to The Lion King) used several children in the chorus, who played many of the animals by means of puppetry, costumes and masks, to great effect.
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