In the spring of 1965, the musical South Pacific became the second show the university would perform overseas as a USO tour. At that time, MSU was still the only Missouri college to ever have been selected for the program.  Open auditions were held for anyone at the university.  To receive course credit for the tour, each student in the cast was required to write a paper on his or her experience overseas.  They received a total of between ten and twelve credit hours each.

As well as South Pacific, the troupe prepared a ninety-minute variety show called "Watching All the Girls - Wow!" which was presented at the university during 1964 and 1965 to raise money for sightseeing while overseas. The variety show included music from the “Standing on the Corner Routine” as well as songs such as “Merry Minuet,” “Dimples,” and “April in Fairbanks” (which was changed to whichever location they were in at the time, such as “April in Iceland”). Ben Carney and Felicia Soper also performed a sketch called "Here We Are." The variety show could be performed overseas at bases where there was not enough room to perform the musical, such as in hospital wards, and could be performed in addition to the musical when they had a longer stay at any particular base. 

The troupe left on April 5, 1965, and toured a total of six weeks for a total of forty performances. Five weeks were spent performing South Pacific and the variety show in Greenland, Iceland, Labrador, and Newfoundland. At some bases, they also did radio shows of the performances. Each member of the cast also received a “Blue Nose” certificate for having crossed the Arctic Circle.

Before going overseas to the Northeast Command, performances were given at the university from March 29 until April 2. A special performance was also given for the inauguration of the university’s new president, Arthur Mallory, on March 26, 1965.

Before departing, the troupe watched a movie on Iceland and was given a briefing by Dr. Harold Retallick of the MSU geography faculty on the geology and nature of the countries they were going to visit. Dr. Coger also urged anyone at the university with relatives at the bases they would be visiting to let her know so that the troupe could try to visit with them.

The last week of the tour was spent in New York City, where they saw and had the opportunity to meet some of the casts of the Broadway productions of Hello Dolly, Golden Boy, Fiddler on the Roof, and Tiny Alice (which was, at the time, the most controversial play on Broadway). Also while in New York, Felicia Soper, one of the cast members, was chosen as a contestant on “The Price Is Right” for three days and won several thousand dollars worth of merchandise.  The troupe returned to Springfield on May 22, 1965.

Photos

Documents

Director:
Dr. Leslie Irene Coger
Musical Director and Pianist:
Jeanne Oswalt

CAST
Ensign Sue Yaeger:
Judith Anderson, Springfield
Lt. Joseph Cable:
Benjamin Carney, Crane
Luther Billis:
Donald Davis, Aurora
Ensign Betty Pitt:
Betty Dayoub, Kansas City
Emile de Becque:
Stephen Emanuel, Springfield
Capt. George Brackett:
Dr. Robert Gilmore
Bloody Mary:
Jerry Hembree, El Dorado Springs
Ensign Dinah Murphy:
Nancy Klapmeyer, Belton
Stewpot:
Larry Long, West Plains
Cpl. Hamilton Steeves:
Charles Morrow, Springfield
Liat and Ensign Rita Adams:
Jean Palmer, Springfield
Ensign Lisa Minelli:
Margaret Palmer, Springfield
Professor:
Chris Sechler, Springfield
Ensign Nellie Forbush:
Felicia Soper, Independence
Lt. Buzz Adams:
Robert Triplett, Mountain View
Radio Operator Bob McCaffrey:
Donald Weaver, Kansas City

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