By Sally Daykin
SPECIAL TO THE BEACON

posted Sep 10, 2008 - 9:35:42am

Shoestring Theatre will open its new season Friday, Sept. 12, with Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, directed by Anne Sollien. The highly acclaimed musical remains a hallmark in the evolution of theater, even though it was written more than 60 years ago.

Independently of each other, Rodgers and Hammerstein had both been intrigued with the possibility of making a musical based on Lynn Riggs' stage play Green Grow the Lilacs. When Hammerstein approached Jerome Kern, he declined the project. At the same time,

Joseph Hart turned down Rodgers. The result was the first collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Oklahoma! officially opened on Broadway in 1943 and was immediately a box-office smash, eventually attaining an unprecedented run of 2,212 performances. Another first was the choreography by Agnes de Mille (her first Broadway musical), which gave us one of the show's most notable and enduring features: a 15-minute first-act ballet finale often referred to as the dream ballet.

Following on the success of the Broadway production, Oklahoma! was the first of a postwar wave of Broadway musicals to reach London, opening in 1947 at the Theatre Royal to rave press reviews and sellout houses, running for 1,543 performances. This marriage of second choice for Rodgers and Hammerstein led to nine more first-rate collaborations, including Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music.

Over the years, the show has enjoyed popular professional revivals both on Broadway (1951, 1979 and 2002) and in the West End in London (1980 and 1988), as well as many cross-country national tours. It remains one of the top choices among community and high-school theaters. The list of star actors who have brought life to the characters reads like a Who's Who, including Howard Da Silva, Alfred Drake, Howard Keel, Celeste Holm, Maureen Lipman and Hugh Jackman.

The extensive appeal of Oklahoma! could be attributed to the strong dramatic plotline where musical score and dance were successfully integrated for perhaps the first time in a musical comedy. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain (Mike Osowski) and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams (Ashley Willsey). Their love is challenged by Laurey's threatening farmhand, Jud Fry (David Santiago), and much of the play follows the tension generated by this conflict. Will (Ed Abate) and Ado Annie's (Sara Galiatsatos) love is filled with tension when Ado can't seem to pick which man she wants and needs.

Director Anne Sollien agreed, saying, "The show is lighthearted, full of romance and optimism, but it is saved from a possible sugar overdose by the tragic elements of a love triangle which goes terribly wrong. The goal for me as the director was to put together a cast that would create a story that wasn't a cookie cutter of every other Oklahoma! you've seen. So often, the characters are portrayed as caricatures rather than using the full range of traits that make the audience want to know more about them. Even Jud has to keep a balance between being a villain and having sympathetic appeal as an outcast who desires love. Well, I won the lottery with this cast. Their talent, dedication, creativity and, best of all, the way they care for each other just pours off the stage. Did I mention the laughter? Every rehearsal was a joy."

The cast members obviously agree. Melissa Barbour (ensemble) said, "Oklahoma! is one of the funniest shows I've ever been in, and it has been such a pleasure working with Anne and everyone else in the cast. There is some great humor and some romance, some dancing and of course the songs — it's going to be a great time for the audience."

Matt Comeau (ensemble) admitted that "With Oklahoma! being my first play, I had no idea what working with such a big cast involved. The amount of coordination, planning and creativity required to get the smallest group of strangers doing just one thing — well, it sometimes comes as a surprise that scenes actually work. Nevertheless, Oklahoma! is coming together well and is bound to be a great show that everyone will enjoy."

Stage manager Kathy Edwards had this to say: "This is my first time involved in a production of this magnitude, and while the show has been a lot of work, we've had fun too. I have also discovered, in my five minutes on stage, that I love the lights!"

Musical direction is under the talented eye of Cynthia Hansen, who said, "It's delightful to be working with my friend Anne again, but the real thrill is watching our theater newcomers become totally involved in the work. Their enthusiasm is certainly infectious, and I know the audience will be swept up in their wholehearted commitment to the show."

Bill Irvin (ensemble), one of those newcomers, summed it up, "At least once in their lifetime, everyone needs to do this to appreciate the enormous work involved in doing a musical. Having a great team leader like Anne who knows her stuff and not only when to yell at us, but also when to support us ... Well, just wait till you see the results."

All told, every single cast member seems to share this passion for the production — proof that Oklahoma! still has not lost its appeal! You can see for yourself at Shoestring Theatre, 380 S. Goodwin St. in Lake Helen.

Production times and dates are 8 p.m. Sept 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26 and 27, and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14, 21 and 28 at 2:30. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for senior citizens, and $7 for students. For advance reservations, call (386) 228-3777.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

---

Comment on this article

Commenting is closed for this article.

If you would like to contribute a letter to the editor, please click here.

---

Did you find this story interesting or informative? Subscribe to The DeLand-Deltona Beacon to read more stories by Sally Daykin, along with others from our award-winning writers. Subscribe now!