Paulo Szot and Kelli O'Hara in "South Pacific," part of PBS's "Live From Lincoln Center" series

It happens once in a blue moon. A show comes along that not only entertains and pulls at the heartstrings, but also provides social commentary.

With sailors lamenting about a lack of female companionship, two budding romances in the works and a candid look at racism in the 1940s, "South Pacific" fits the bill. The classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is presented in all its glory in "Live from Lincoln Center," airing Wednesday, Aug. 18, on PBS (check local listings).

Kelli O'Hara stars as Nellie Forbush, the U.S. Navy nurse at the center of a tale set on a tropical island during the Second World War. Forbush falls for French plantation owner Emile de Becque, a role that won co-star Paulo Szot a Tony award for best leading actor in a musical. Along with Navy Airman Joe Cable and local native girl Liat, Becque and Forbush find their love tested by war and prejudice.

The story is based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Tales of the South Pacific," which was actually a collection of short stories. Michener's book might have been tough to translate to the stage, but no one could have done it better than composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. The duo was responsible for some of the world's most famous and beloved musicals, including "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "The King and I" and "The Sound of Music."

But many agree that "South Pacific" was their masterpiece. Several songs from the show have become musical-theatre standards, such as "Some Enchanted Evening," "A Wonderful Guy" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" (no, it isn't originally from the '70s Clairol commercial). Other songs include "Younger Than Springtime," "Bali Ha'i" and "There's Nothin' Like a Dame."

As Broadway legend has it, director Joshua Logan and producer Leland Hayward approached Rodgers and Hammerstein about adapting Michener's book, and the two got to work melding the short stories into one cohesive tale. They based the show on the short stories "Fo' Dolla" and "Our Heroine," and also added a bit about a womanizing sailor to add comic relief, with Michener's permission, of course.

After a few test performances out of town in New Haven, Conn., producers took the show to Boston for a brief stint before it found its home on Broadway in New York City.

The original production was nominated for 10 Tony awards, and is the only production to have won all four best-acting Tonys. In 1950, it matched Michener's original work by winning the Pulitzer Prize for drama. When it closed in 1954, it was one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history.

"South Pacific" proved so popular it made its way across the pond to play in London's West End, toured the U.S. in the early '50s, and inspired a 1958 film version. It was also revived in London in 1988 and 2001. An Australian-made production released in 2001 starred Glenn Close and Harry Connick Jr., but it was panned by critics.

A 2005 Carnegie Hall concert version of the show featured country music icon Reba McEntire as leading lady Nellie, and actor Alec Baldwin as womanizer Luther Billis. But while McEntire was revered for this performance, it was the 2008 Broadway revival that really brought the show back to American audiences.

Since it officially opened in April 2008, the musical has won scores of awards, including seven Tonys and five Drama Desk Awards. This is the production featured in the PBS "Live from Lincoln Center" special.

Of particular note is the visual appeal of the show, which harkens back to an era famous for fashion. Costume designer Catherine Zuber has garnered much acclaim, and a Tony, for her period outfits. "South Pacific's" Michael Yeargan and Donald Holder also won Tonys for scenic design and lighting design, respectively.

The venue itself is stunning. Part of the well-known Lincoln Square area of New York's Upper West Side, the Vivian Beaumont Theater has served as the main stage of the Lincoln Center since 1985. In 1994, it hosted another Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, "Carousel."

But thanks to PBS's "Live from Lincoln Center," viewers won't have to make the trek to the Big Apple to see "South Pacific" before it closes on Aug. 22. Boasting 13 Emmys in its 34 seasons on the air, "Live from Lincoln Center" brings some of the world's most talented performers into living rooms across North America as the only current U.S. series that presents live performing-arts telecasts.

For those who miss out on the live airing of "South Pacific," and those who just can't wait to see it again, PBS streams its programs for free the day after broadcast (pbs.org/video).