Toledo Opera will host Voices of Valor: a Post-South Pacific Town Hall on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at The Jefferson Center on 14th St. (Old Post Office). This town hall will celebrate service, community, and civic engagement. This event is free and open to the public.
This event will feature a panel of local veterans sharing their stories of service and insights on the role of community in civic practice. Included on the panel will be Teresa Fedor, member of the Ohio State Board of Education; Master Sergeant Michael White, 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard; David Oravecz, Executive Director of Lucas County Veterans Services; Jurry Taalib Deen, Human Resources Recruiter Army National Guard; Lisa Sobecki, Lucas County Commisioner; and Aby the Newfoundland therapy dog. The panel will be moderated by local news anchor Dan Cummings. This event is sponsored in part by Ohio Humanities and is presented in partnership with Flag City Honor Flight.
“As we present Voices of Valor, it is essential that we include our veterans in the conversation,” shared Toledo Opera general director James M. Norman. “Their stories, sacrifices, and perspectives are at the heart of this production, and by amplifying their voices, we honor their service in a meaningful way. The arts have the power to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create a space for healing, and we are proud to provide that platform through this town hall.”
"With South Pacific, we wanted to go beyond the stage and explore the real experiences of veterans—not just because of the musical’s themes, but because their perspectives on service, sacrifice, and civic responsibility are so important right now,” shared Toledo Opera development officer Leah Whitaker. As a community institution, Toledo Opera has a responsibility to do more than just perform—we’re here to engage, connect, and contribute to the well-being of the people who call Toledo home. Events like Voices of Valor are part of that mission, using storytelling and conversation to bring people together and spark meaningful dialogue."
More about South Pacific: Just in time for Valentine’s Day and the 75th anniversary of its premiere, Toledo Opera presents South Pacific. Winner of 10 Tony Awards in 1950 including Best Musical and Best Original Score, South Pacific debuts to Toledo Opera audiences in a new production brought to life by conductor J. Ernest Green and stage director James M. Norman. Based on the anecdotes of a real-life U.S. Navy commander who was stationed on an island, South Pacific follows two intercultural love stories: Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, a French plantation owner on the island who has two children from his late Polynesian wife; at the same time, U.S. Lieutenant Cable falls for a beautiful island native named Liat. Both Americans find themselves struggling to reconcile their own cultural prejudices with their amorous feelings, all the while under the dark cloud of a war that is coming ever closer to their island paradise. South Pacific stars Claire Leyden as Nellie Forbush, Metropolitan Opera Baritone Keith Phares (The Merry Widow and Cinderella) as Emile de Becque, and Mike Schwitter as Lt. Joseph Cable. South Pacific will be presented in English with English captions. South Pacific is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.
Toledo Opera performed South Pacific at the Valentine Theatre on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 16 at 2 p.m. To learn more about South Pacific cast and production team visit: toledoopera.org. For media access, please contact Rachael Cammarn at rcammarn@toledoopera.org.
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