EastEnders' Samantha Womack Eyes Lead in Bartlett Sher's South Pacific in London

British soap star Samantha Womack is eyeing the leading role of Nellie Forbush in the London production of South Pacific, directed by Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher, according to the Daily Mail. The production will begin performances on August 15 at the Barbican and run for six weeks. It will then embark on a U.K. tour in the fall and return to the Barbican in 2012. 

Womack is best known for her role on the BBC soap EastEnders. Her West End credits include Guys and Dolls and Grease.

Featuring classic songs such as "Some Enchanted Evening," "There Is Nothin' Like a Dame" and "A Wonderful Guy," Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical first opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949 and ran for 1925 performances. The recent Tony-winning Lincoln Center revival opened on April 3, 2008 and played 996 performances. No official casting has been announced for the London production.