Variety reported Jan. 15 that LCT has secured the coveted rights to the 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, which has not been seen on Broadway since the 1949 original, despite the petitions and pleas of many producers. Andre Bishop, artistic director of LCT, was apparently one of those producers. The nonprofit is currently presenting The Light in the Piazza, composed by Richard Rodgers grandson Adam Guettel.

"Finally, Andre said, 'What if we try to use some of the "Piazza" team?' " Ted Chapin told Variety. "And I just thought, 'Oh, he's right.' " The trade paper said that LCT plans to concentrate as much on the book as the score.

The Variety article did not say who from the Piazza team besides Sher might be used. The Guettel musical has musical staging by Jonathan Butterell, set design by Michael Yeargan, costume design by Catherine Zuber and lighting design by Christopher Akerlind. Sources close to the project have Tony-winning Piazza star Victoria Clark being considered by the part of Nellie Forbush.

South Pacific features songs by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and was drawn from James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific." Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza co-starred in the original Broadway production, which boasted such classic songs as "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger Than Springtime," "Bali H'ai" and "A Wonderful Guy."