William Michals starred in “South Pacific” at the Lincoln Center.

When Broadway stars Alli Mauzey and William Michals teamed with the Maui Pops Orchestra in 2015 for a celebration of the music of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, they sold out the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater.

Mauzey and Michals will return for another Rodgers and Hammerstein show Sunday with the pops orchestra under the direction of Maestro Jim Durham.

“I’ve always had an affinity towards the classic musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein,” said Michals, who starred in “South Pacific” at the Lincoln Center. “It’s been my wheelhouse since I started as a kid being classically trained.”

The concert will feature beloved songs from popular Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals such as “The Sound of Music” and “Oklahoma!”

“Since I have the joy to star in the huge revival of ‘South Pacific,’ I’ll definitely be singing ‘Some Enchanted Evening,’ and a couple selections from ‘The Sound of Music,’ of course,” Michals said. “Alli will be singing the title song, and I’ll be singing ‘Edelweiss.’ I think some of the guys in the chorus are going to join me on ‘There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame’ from ‘South Pacific.'”

Making his Broadway debut as the Beast in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Michals’ career continued with roles as Javert in “Les Misérables,” Billy Flynn in “Chicago,” the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera,” Captain Hook in Leonard Bernstein’s “Peter Pan” and Don Quixote in “Man of La Mancha.”

A Variety review of “Man of La Mancha” noted: “In ‘The Impossible Dream,’ William Michals, with a voice that knows no boundaries, made that standard sound as fresh as a world-premiere performance. With booming clarity, the hymn appeared to rise beyond the balcony to reach the unreachable star.”

Composer Rodgers and lyricist Hammerstein had one of the most successful musical partnerships of the 20th century. They wrote songs for the musicals “Oklahoma!,” “Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” “Flower Drum Song” and “The Sound of Music.”

“They were great craftsmen,” said Michals. “It is sometimes very simple melodies that are affecting and they hit right in the heart. Also great lyrics speak across generations. ‘Climb Every Mountain’ as an anthem speaks to people from all backgrounds, and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from ‘Carousel’ likewise speaks to us all because deep down we strive for inspiration and communion. We always have to lean on someone. And of course the message in ‘South Pacific’ is one of greater community.”

A landmark musical, “South Pacific” directly challenged U.S. racial prejudice through its plot, which features interracial romance and the anti-racist anthem, “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught,” highlighting how prejudice is taught.

In 1953, after a roadshow version of the play completed a successful run in Atlanta, a couple of outraged Georgia state legislators denounced it as propaganda and vowed to introduce bills outlawing the showing of “movies, plays, musicals or other theatricals which have an underlying philosophy inspired by Moscow.”

One of the lawmakers said the production promoted interracial marriage, while claiming that “intermarriage produces half-breeds, and half-breeds are not conducive to the higher type of society. In the South we have pure blood lines and we intend to keep it that way.”

“It beggars the imagination to think the message of love being universal and crossing boundaries and helping out neighbors and our fellow man, woman and child is somehow controversial,” Michals said. “The greatest message in ‘South Pacific’ is you’ve got to be carefully taught. The rest of that sentence is to hate and fear.”

A star of “Wicked” on Broadway, Mauzey’s celebrated career has included performing in several Tony Award-winning musicals along with singing with the New York Philharmonic, the Philly Pops and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

Alli Mauzey’s Broadway roles include starring as Glinda in “Wicked.” Courtesy photo

Making her Broadway debut in “Hairspray,” Mauzey starred as Glinda in “Wicked,” a role she also performed to critical acclaim on the First National Tour and in the San Francisco company. She most recently starred in “Kimberly Akimbo,” which won five Tony Awards, including best musical, and was hailed as one of the best original Broadway musicals in years.

Looking forward to uniting with Mauzey and the Maui Pops Orchestra, Michals said, “I have performed everywhere from Hong Kong to New York with great orchestras and these folks under Jim’s baton have a feel, they know this music. They have an innate feel for it and Alli Mauzey and I can’t wait to get back there to share it with our audience.”

The Maui Pops Orchestra will present “A Rodgers & Hammerstein Celebration” at 3 p.m. Sunday in the MACC’s Castle Theater. Tickets are $37 to $80 at mauiarts.org.