South Pacific Kids: All in the Family in Adelaide

The current national season of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific provides Australian audiences with the opportunity to see well-known stars such as Lisa McCune and Teddy Tahu Rhodes at their very best. It also gives some of Australia’s child performers a chance to shine. Lesley Reed reports.

Even on Broadway, 2013 has been a year for kiddy casting, according to a recent article by The New York Times. No less than nine shows have featured children this year, with Motown the Musical, Matilda the Musical and Annie amongst them.

In Australia, too, fine young performers abound, spawned by a multitude of dance, singing and acting schools. Youth theatre companies also foster talent, so that children who audition for major professional productions such as South Pacific are often already consummate, confident artists.

However, families in Australia are not subjected to relocating in order to further careers of very young actors, which sometimes happens for Broadway shows. As is usual for Australia, to ensure the welfare of the child actors in South Pacific, local actors audition in each state to which the show tours and the successful members of the young cast are then alternated between shows.

During Adelaide’s season two teams of three children will share the roles of Bloody Mary’s assistant and the children of French plantation owner, Emile de Becque. Nicole Ly, Jai Varmaan and Isabelle Oppeddisano make up one team, while siblings Taylor, Paige and Bridget Tran form the second team.

It is highly unusual to see three children from one family cast in the same production, but the Tran trio are exceptionally talented. Taylor Tran is ten years old, and has been taking singing, dancing and performing lessons since the age of three. She is currently attending Star Academy and has performed in featured roles with the Adelaide Youth Theatre. Taylor’s younger sister, Paige has loved performing ever since she received her first Rising Star award at the age of three. Bridget is six years old, and has developed a love for performance after watching her two older sisters. South Pacific is Bridget’s first professional role, as it is for her sisters. 

When asked how she helps maintain her children’s focus on their important South Pacific roles, May Tran said the talented trio are encouraged to practice together daily. “They also often watch clips on YouTube to study the roles and see past performances,” she said. “We, as parents, talk to the kids about being professional, working hard and being committed.”

Children as young as the Tran girls could very easily become overtired during their commitment to the South Pacific season, but May Tran has a great recipe for overcoming this, too. Healthy, balanced eating and drinking enough fluids, together with limiting sugary foods and soft drinks to ‘sometimes’ foods is the starting point, along with good sleep patterns. “We encourage the children to have plenty of rest,” says May. “We have also been changing their sleep patterns to accommodate the evening performances.”

For Adelaide’s young cast of South Pacific there is an additional boost, in that the season coincides with the summer school holidays.

Season Details

Dates:  Preview Sun Dec 29, 3pm; NYE Show Tues Dec 31, 7.30 pm; Season: (Jan 1- 26) Wed-Sat, 7.30 pm; Tues 6.30 pm; Wed 1pm; Sat 2pm; Sun 3pm.

Venue: Adelaide Festival Theatre.

Tickets: NYE show and party check BASS

Season- Premium $109.90, A Reserve $99.90, B Reserve $59.90, Groups 10+ $188.90.

Bookings: BASS

Images (from top): Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Emile de Becque and Lisa McCune as Nellie Forbush. Photographer: Jeff Busby. Taylor Tran, Paige Tran and Bridget Tran.