Laura Osnes to Be South Pacific‘s New Nellie; Kelli O’Hara to Return in October

Laura Osnes will take over the role of Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center’s revival of South Pacific, beginning March 10. The production is currently playing the Vivian Beaumont Theater, under the direction of Bartlett Sher. Osnes replaces Kelli O’Hara, who will play her final performance on March 7 prior to taking a maternity leave, as she is expecting her first child with husband Greg Naughton in July. O’Hara is scheduled to return to the production on Tuesday, October 6.

Osnes most recently starred on Broadway as Sandy in the revival of Grease, after winning a nationwide talent search to cast that role on the NBC TV series Grease: You’re The One That I Want.

South Pacific also currently stars Paulo Szot as Emile de Becque (with David Pittsinger filling in for Szot in the role March 10-April 12), with Danny Burstein as Luther Billis, Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary, Andrew Samonsky as Lt. Joe Cable, Eric Anderson, Matt Caplan, Sean Cullen, Murphy Guyer, Luka Kain, Li Jun Li, Laurissa Romain, and Michael Arnold, Becca Ayers, Wendy Bergamini, Genson Blimline, Charlie Brady, Christian Carter, Eric L. Christian, Helmar Augustus Cooper, Margot de la Barre, Christian Delcroix, Laura Marie Duncan, Mike Evariste, Julie Foldesi, Rob Gallagher, Maryann Hu, Zachary James, Robert Lenzi, Deborah Lew, William Michals, Kimber Monroe, George Psomas, Greg Roderick, and Jerold E. Solomon.

For more information, visit www.lct.org.