Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! is an old dog,  but I learned some new tricks. It was great to re-discover this classic musical. I think we often dismiss the classics from the past because they don't seem as fresh and hip. It was amazing to discover how much this musical has influenced and shaped so many other musicals. We would be watching and say oh this is just like that from such and such a musical.....but it wasn't like any of them because this one came first, so they all are like Oklahoma!. Oklahoma! is a simple story set in a simple setting. It has some of the most recognized and iconic songs from American musical theatre. The songs truly are and extension of the thoughts being spoken so they move from the spoken word into the songs quite naturally, unfortunately musical theatre convention doesn't allow for a smooth transition from the end of a song.....applause and all.......but hey it was all OK.
I am glad that Angela picked this show for the high school to do this year. I think it gave all of us a better appreciation for classical musical theatre pieces and it gave us all an opportunity to re-interpret things in a fresh way.  One of the elements in Oklahoma! that most people don't enjoy is the dream ballet......I am even guilty of saying cut it, but Megan did a great job of making it fresh and interesting. I was amazed by the audiences reaction to it ....especially the teenagers reaction. Every night several of them would tell us how invested and swept up in the ballet action they became. (I am sure that all of the dance shows on TV have helped people to watch and understand dance better).  It is a great show, but if I could wave a magic wand I would change the ending of the show up a bit.......it is a downer that after the wedding and the singing of Oklahoma that there is still 15 minuets of drama left in the show......I understand that this is a musical drama, but come on I want it all tied up with a pretty bow, the end. What happens however is Jud the mentally unstable, fired, hired hand comes back to get even, and ends up dead on Curly and Laurie's wedding night.  There's an impromptu trial but it all works out, yeah. But by then the enthusiasm from the song Oklahoma! has dissipated, so it ends kind of flat. Here are my ideas for fixes....so listen up R&H Theatricals......Move the Jud comes back scene to before the wedding.....either the night of his firing or the day before the wedding. Or they could just cut it all together and in the dialogue before the the Oklahoma! wedding  scene they could say that they found Jud dead instead of drunk over in Claremore.  I should be a writer!?!?!?!

Over all the whole thing was great. The optimism and can do attitude of the story is much needed right now. I am sure that it influenced the cast out look on life. The production staff did a great job as did the cast as a whole....but Hayden (and yes I am prejudice) was outstanding as Curly the optimistic, head over heels in love cowboy.  His was so consistent in his all he did as Curly. Acting is reacting and his reaction was spot on and his singing so beautiful.

 MCC