John Raitt, star of Richard Rodger's Carousel, will reminisce about the legendary musical theatre composer on WNET's "Theater Talk" June 29. Rodgers, who created the scores to Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, would have celebrated his 99th birthday in 2001.
Raitt was first hired by Rodgers and Hammerstein to star in the road company of Oklahoma! before going on to originate the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel. The actor then starred in other classics of the American stage including Man of La Mancha and The Pajama Game. He will show a clip of himself singing "If I Loved You" with Jan Clayton.
Joining Raitt will be the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization's Theodore S. Chapin and South Pacific original cast member Don Fellows. The two will discuss South Pacific and show a classic clip of Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza performing "Some Enchanted Evening."
Theater Talk broadcasts at midnight on Channel 13/WNET in New York.
—By Christine Ehren