Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Both Hill and Robert Cuccioli, who plays Emile de Becque, are Broadway stars of a level we don't often see on the road these days or in the suburban musical houses. (Hill is a former Christine in the Broadway "The Phantom of the Opera" and a Cosette in "Les Miserables," while Cuccioli was the original heartthrob Dr. Jekyll in Frank Wildhorn's "Jekyll and Hyde"). They're both superb singers, as such credits would suggest, and while the difference in their ages is greater than you usually would see even in "South Pacific," Cuccioli turns that to his advantage. There's an air of desperation about his de Becque, the sense that this is a man who knows Nellie represents his one last shot at love. No Nellie means eternal loneliness. Cuccioli dives deep into his own decay; the idea works, not least because it at least partially explains why he seems to forget he is a father when he goes off on a likely suicide mission with Lt. Cable, very intensely played here by Austin Colby, whom director Maog clearly sees as a sensualist hopelessly lost in the fog of war."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Under director Victor Malana Maog’s new staging for the Drury Lane, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s lush-as-jasmine-in-high-summer score has never sounded more beautiful. There’s a reason “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Bali Hai” and “Wonderful Guy” are classics. They’re harmonically perfect. As long as you disregard some of the lyrics (which range from heteronormative to misogynistic, sometimes in the same song), you’ll never hear anything more beautiful."
Daily Herald - Recommended
"...At nearly 70 years old, it's amazing how well "South Pacific" holds up. The 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical wows on a number of fronts, especially in director Victor Malana Maog's solid revival for Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...Director Victor Malana Maog has an excellent ensemble team that brings this classic film to life at Drury Lane Theatre which was aided by music director Roberta Duchak. Together they made South Pacific another timeless delight."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...There are times, when viewing one of the modern-day musicals, that I think back to my earliest years of theater and the works of men like Rodgers and Hammerstein, who gave us some of the greatest musicals ever. When one of our theaters opts to add one of these "oldies, yet goodies" to their season, I am reminded "we have seen this a dozen times. Why see it again"! I have said over and over again, each production, although it is the same play, is unique, which is the beauty of "live theater". A different perspective from the director or choreographer, different actors, a different venue and guess what- a different show!"
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...There is so much to recommend in this gorgeous, topical production. The cast is perfection, the orchestra sounds full and rich. The show’s technical support is flawless and, of course, the musical itself is an American treasure. Quite simply put, to miss this production is to miss out on one of the year’s very best pieces of theatre. Drury Lane has done it again!"
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...“South Pacific” can’t help but be musically satisfying, but this revival has a dramatic and emotional strength that takes it to a new level. The music should be familiar to almost any active theatergoer, but patrons who haven’t seen a full staging in years will embark on a voyage of discovery as they see the impressive package unfold on the Drury Lane stage."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Highly Recommended
"...Music Director Roberta Duchak and Choreographer Otis Sallid are at the top of their games showing off this 17-time Tony Award-winning show, including Best Musical in 1950 and Best Musical Revival in 2008."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...Musical Director Roberta Duchak and Conductor Christopher Sargent have created an exhilarating musical experience. It helps to have the exceptional talents of Cuciolli and Hill at the center of a professional cast. What is striking, however, is that every transitional change of set(Scott Davis), lighting(Yael Lebetzky), costumes(Olivera Gajic) and sound(Ray Nardelli) are perfectly woven together with the choreography(Otis Sallid) to create a series of simple, but dramatically effective tableaus."
Rebellious Magazine For Women - Highly Recommended
"...Boasting a little Miley Cyrus sass and Cary Grant class, respectively, Broadway's Samantha Hill and Tony Award nominee Robert Cuccioli are superb in the lead roles. They, like Yvonne Strumecki (Bloody Mary), deserve Jeff Award nominations for rich performances that convey the complexity of their characters and the arcs (particularly for Nellie) they achieve."