Oklahoma!

This article is about the musical play. For other uses, see Oklahoma (disambiguation)

Oklahoma! (1943) was the first musical play written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II (see Rodgers and Hammerstein). Some argue that it marked a revolution in musical drama: while it was hardly the first time a play with music told a story of emotional depth and psychological complexity, Oklahoma! implemented a number of new storytelling techniques, including focusing on emotional empathy; dealing with characters and situations far removed from the audience by time and geography; dealing with American historical and social materials; and its use of dance to convey plot and character rather than mere diversion for the audience.

Originally entitled Away We Go, Oklahoma!, which is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, is set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, and tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farmer girl Laurey Williams. Their love is challenged by Laurey's threatening farmhand, Jud Fry, and much of the play follows the contest between Curly and Jud for Laurey's affections. A comic subplot follows Laurey's friend, Ado Annie Carnes, and her on-again/off-again relationship with cowboy Will Parker.

The original production of Oklahoma! opened in New Haven's Shubert Theatre[1] before premiering on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theatre in New York. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, and starred Betty Garde, Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts, Celeste Holm, Joan McCracken, and Howard Da Silva. The production was choreographed by Agnes de Mille, who provided one of the show's most notable and enduring features: a 15-minute first-act ballet finale (often referred to as a dream ballet) arising from Laurey's inability to make up her mind between Jud and Curly. The original production ran for a then unprecedented 2,212 performances and was closed on May 29 1948. There have been many revivals of Oklahoma! since, including national tours.

Stage revivals

• A new production of the musical was presented by the National Theatre, London at the Olivier Theatre in 1998. It was directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Susan Stroman. In the cast were Maureen Lipman (Aunt Eller ), Jimmy Johnston (Will Parker) , Josefina Gabrielle (Laurey Williams), Shuler Hensley (Jud Fry), Vicki Simon (Ado Annie), Peter Polycarpou (Ali Hakim) and Hugh Jackman (Curly McLain) in his English stage debut. The production was a sell-out and transferred to the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End for a six-month run. Plans to transfer to Broadway with the London cast were thwarted by the Actors' Equity who insisted on American actors. The production was filmed and issued on DVD.

• Several years later, in 2002, the National Theatre production made it to Broadway with only two of the London cast, Josefina Gabrielle and Shuler Hensley. That cast also featured Patrick Wilson as Curly and Andrea Martin as Aunt Eller. It was well-received with special praise for its innovative and evocative stage sets. It also won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Shuler Hensley.

• In 2006 it was performed in Japan by the all-female Takarazuka Revue, starring Yuu Todoroki, Ai Shirosaki, and Hiromu Kiriya.

Notes

Marc Platt danced the role of the original "Dream Curly" for the 1943 stage production of Oklahoma!, and he also appeared in the 1955 movie version of Oklahoma! in the role of a cowboy.

James Mitchell danced the role of "Dream Curly" in the 1955 movie version of Oklahoma! Mitchell is well-known for portraying Palmer Cortlandt on All My Children.

In the opening scene, few people realise that the actress who plays Aunt Eller (Charlotte Greenwood) was too physically weak to lift the pole in the butter churn. To overcome this, the crew concealed midget Oliver Whitman in the churn and he raised and dropped the pole as Greenwood rested her hands on it.

Musical numbers

Act 1

• "Overture" - Orchestra
• "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" - Curly
• "Laurey's Entrance" - Laurey ("Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'")
• "The Surrey With the Fringe On Top" - Curly
• "The Surrey With the Fringe On Top (Reprise)" - Curly
• "Kansas City" - Will, Aunt Eller, Male Ensemble
• "I Cain't Say No" - Ado Annie
• "Entrance of Ensemble" ("Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "I Cain't Say No") - Will, Ado Annie, Curly, Ensemble
• "Many a New Day" - Laurey and Female Ensemble
• "It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!" Ali Hakim and Male Ensemble
• "People Will Say We're In Love" - Curly and Laurey
• "Pore Jud is Daid" Curly and Jud
• "Lonely Room" - Jud
• "Out of My Dreams" - Laurey and Female Ensemble
• "Dream Ballet" - Ensemble

Act 2

• "Entr'acte" - Orchestra
• "The Farmer and the Cowman" - Carnes, Aunt Eller, Ike Skidmore, Ensemble
• "All Er Nuthin'" - Will and Ado Annie
• "People Will Say We're In Love (Reprise)" - Curly and Laurey
• "Oklahoma!" - Curly and Ensemble
• "Finale Ultimo" ("Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "People Will Say We're in Love") - Ensemble
• "Exit Music" - Orchestra

Cultural references

• The title song became the official state song of Oklahoma in 1953.
• The songs "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "Oklahoma!" were spoofed in the animated film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
• In the Simpsons episode "Milhouse of Sand and Fog", the character Milhouse briefly imagines himself and Bart singing "The Farmer and the Cowman".
• The song "Oklahoma" was referenced during the movie Twister.
• Sesame Street featured a muppet named "Forgetful Jones" singing the title song from "Oklahoma!" but forgetting how it began, trying "Aaaaaa-klahoma", "Eeeeee-klahoma" and "Iiiiii-klahoma".
• In the Fawlty Towers episode "Gourmet Night", Polly serenades the guests with a rendition of "I Cain't Say No".

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