''Oklahoma!'' is the first
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
written by the duo of
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popu ...
. The musical is based on
Lynn Riggs
Rollie Lynn Riggs (August 31, 1899 – June 30, 1954) was an American author, poet, playwright and screenwriter. His 1931 play ''Green Grow The Lilacs'' was adapted into the landmark 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!''.
Early life
Riggs was born on a ...
' 1931 play, ''
Green Grow the Lilacs
Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.
The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word '' gringo'' that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops si ...
''. Set in farm country outside the town of
Claremore
Claremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County in Green Country or northeastern Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,580 at the 2020 census, a 5.4 percent increase over the figure of 18,581 recorded in 2010.[Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...]
, in 1906, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie.
The original
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
production opened on March 31, 1943. It was a box office hit and ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances, later enjoying award-winning revivals, national tours, foreign productions and an
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
-winning 1955
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
. It has long been a popular choice for school and community productions. Rodgers and Hammerstein won a
special Pulitzer Prize for ''Oklahoma!'' in 1944.
This musical, building on the innovations of the earlier ''
Show Boat
''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'', epitomized the development of the "
book musical
Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...
", a musical play in which the songs and dances are fully integrated into a well-made story, with serious dramatic goals, that is able to evoke genuine emotions other than amusement. In addition, ''Oklahoma!'' features musical themes, or
motifs, that recur throughout the work to connect the music and story.
[Swain, Joseph P. ''The Broadway Musical: A Critical and Musical Survey''. Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2002, pp. 103–06] A fifteen-minute "
dream ballet
A dream ballet, in musical theater, is an all-dance, no-singing production number that reflects the themes of the production. The plot, themes, and characters are typically the same—although the people playing the characters may be different, as ...
" reflects Laurey's struggle with her feelings about two men, Curly and Jud.
Background
By the early 1940s, Rodgers and Hammerstein were each well known for creating
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
hits with other collaborators. Rodgers, with
Lorenz Hart
Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...
, had produced over two dozen musicals since the 1920s, including such popular successes as ''
Babes in Arms
''Babes in Arms'' is a 1937 coming-of-age musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a group of small-town Long Island teenagers who put on a show to avoid being sent to a work f ...
'' (1937), ''
The Boys from Syracuse
''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play ''The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contemp ...
'' (1938) and ''
Pal Joey'' (1940). Among other successes, Hammerstein had written the words for ''
Rose-Marie
''Rose-Marie'' is an operetta-style musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. The story is set in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and concerns Rose-Marie La Flemme, a Fren ...
'' (1924), ''
The Desert Song
''The Desert Song'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonia ...
'' (1926), ''
The New Moon
''The New Moon'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg (after ''The Student Prince'' (1924) and ...
'' (1927) and ''
Show Boat
''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'' (1927). Though less productive in the 1930s, he wrote musicals, songs and films, sharing an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for his song with
Jerome Kern
Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...
, "
The Last Time I Saw Paris
''The Last Time I Saw Paris'' is a 1954 American Technicolor romantic drama made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story " Babylon Revisited." It was directed by Richard Brooks, produced by Jack Cummings ...
", which was included in the 1941 film ''
Lady Be Good''. By the early 1940s, Hart had sunk into alcoholism and emotional turmoil, and he became unreliable, prompting Rodgers to approach Hammerstein to ask if he would consider working with him.
Conception
In 1931, the
Theatre Guild
The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of the W ...
produced
Lynn Riggs
Rollie Lynn Riggs (August 31, 1899 – June 30, 1954) was an American author, poet, playwright and screenwriter. His 1931 play ''Green Grow The Lilacs'' was adapted into the landmark 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!''.
Early life
Riggs was born on a ...
's ''
Green Grow the Lilacs
Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.
The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word '' gringo'' that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops si ...
'', a play about settlers in
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...
. Though the play was not successful, ten years later in 1941,
, one of the Guild's producers, saw a
summer-stock production supplemented with traditional
folk song
Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...
s and
square dance
A square dance is a dance for four couples, or eight dancers in total, arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances contain elements from numerous traditional dances and were first documente ...
s and decided the play could be the basis of a musical that might revive the struggling Guild. She contacted
Richard Rodgers
Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...
and
Lorenz Hart
Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...
, whose first successful
collaboration
Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...
, ''
The Garrick Gaieties
''Garrick Gaieties'' is a revue with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, the first successful musical by this songwriting team.
It debuted in 1925 on Broadway and was the first of three ''Garrick Gaiety'' revues, which were subs ...
'', had been produced by the Theatre Guild in 1925. Rodgers wanted to work on the project and obtained the rights for himself and Hart. Rodgers had asked
Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...
to collaborate with him and Hart. During the tryouts of Rodgers and Hart's ''
By Jupiter
''By Jupiter'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. The musical is based on the play ''The Warrior's Husband'' by Julian F. Thompson, set in the land of the Amazons. '' ...
'' in 1941, Hammerstein had assured Rodgers that if Hart was ever unable to work, he would be willing to take his place.
[Nolan, pp. 1–25.] Coincidentally in 1942, Hammerstein had thought of musicalizing ''Green Grow the Lilacs'', but when he had approached
Jerome Kern
Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...
about it, the latter declined. Hammerstein learned that Rodgers was seeking someone to write the book, and he eagerly took the opportunity. Hart lost interest in the musical; he preferred contemporary, urbane shows that would showcase his witty lyric writing, and he found the farmers and cowhands in ''Green Grow the Lilacs'' corny and uninspiring. Moreover, spiraling downward, consumed by his longstanding alcoholism, Hart no longer felt like writing. He embarked on a vacation to Mexico, advising Rodgers that Hammerstein would be a good choice of a new collaborator.
[Kantor and Malson, pp. 196–202][
This partnership allowed both Rodgers and Hammerstein to follow their preferred writing methods: Hammerstein preferred to write a complete lyric before it was set to music, and Rodgers preferred to set completed lyrics to music. In Rodgers' previous collaborations with Hart, Rodgers had always written the music first, since the unfocused Hart needed something on which to base his lyrics. Hammerstein's previous collaborators included composers , ]Herbert Stothart
Herbert Pope Stothart (September 11, 1885February 1, 1949) was an American songwriter, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was also nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score for '' The Wizard of Oz''. Stothart was widel ...
, Vincent Youmans
Vincent Millie Youmans (September 27, 1898 – April 5, 1946) was an American Broadway composer and producer.
A leading Broadway composer of his day, Youmans collaborated with virtually all the greatest lyricists on Broadway: Ira Gershwin, Ot ...
, and Kern, who all wrote music first, for which Hammerstein then wrote lyrics. The role reversal in the Rodgers and Hammerstein partnership permitted Hammerstein to craft the lyrics into a fundamental part of the story so that the songs could amplify and intensify the story instead of diverting it.[ As Rodgers and Hammerstein began developing the new musical, they agreed that their musical and dramatic choices would be dictated by the source material, ''Green Grow the Lilacs'', not by musical comedy conventions.][ Musicals of that era featured big production numbers, novelty acts, and show-stopping specialty dances; the libretti typically focused on humor, with little dramatic development, punctuated with songs that effectively halted the story for their duration.][Kenrick, John]
"History of the Musical Stage, 1940s Part II: Oklahoma, OK!"
Musicals101.com, accessed October 11, 2011
Casting and development
Between the world wars, roles in musicals were usually filled by actors who could sing, but Rodgers and Hammerstein chose, conversely, to cast singers who could act. Though , codirector of the Theatre Guild, suggested Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...
as Laurey and Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...
as Ali Hakim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, with director Rouben Mamoulian's support, insisted that performers more dramatically appropriate for the roles be cast. As a result, there were no stars in the production, another unusual step.[ The production was choreographed by ]Agnes de Mille
Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer.
Early years
Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...
(her first time choreographing a musical on Broadway), who provided one of the show's most notable and enduring features: a 15-minute first-act ballet finale (often referred to as the dream ballet
A dream ballet, in musical theater, is an all-dance, no-singing production number that reflects the themes of the production. The plot, themes, and characters are typically the same—although the people playing the characters may be different, as ...
) depicting Laurey's struggle to evaluate her suitors, Jud and Curly.[
The first title given to the work was ''Away We Go!'' which opened for out-of-town-tryouts in ]New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
's Shubert Theatre on March 11, 1943. Expectations for the show were low; Hammerstein had written six flops in a row, and the show had no star power. Producer Mike Todd
Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of ''Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Actr ...
walked out after the first act during the tryout and wisecracked, "No girls, no gags, no chance." But Rodgers and Hammerstein were confident. The New Haven and Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
audiences were enthusiastic, although the reviews were only fair. Of the changes made before the show went to Broadway, two would prove significant: the addition of the show-stopping musical number, "Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
" and the decision to retitle the musical after that number.
Todd had been wrong; the show opened on Broadway to raves from the critics, sold out, and won a special Pulitzer Prize. Brooks Atkinson
Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for ''The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of his ...
wrote in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' that the show's opening number, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is the opening song from the musical ''Oklahoma!'', which premiered on Broadway in 1943. It was written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The leading male character in ''Oklah ...
" changed the history of musical theater: "After a verse like that, sung to a buoyant melody, the banalities of the old musical stage became intolerable."[ Gordon, John Steele]
''Oklahoma'!'
, accessed June 13, 2010 The ''New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' was the only major paper to give ''Oklahoma!'' a mixed review. Its critic felt that while the songs were pleasant enough, they sounded much alike. The show's creativity stimulated Rodgers and Hammerstein's contemporaries and ushered in the "Golden Age" of American musical theatre.[
]
Plot
Act I
In Oklahoma Territory, in 1906, cowboy Curly McLain looks forward to a beautiful day as he visits farm girl Laurey Williams's yard ("Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is the opening song from the musical ''Oklahoma!'', which premiered on Broadway in 1943. It was written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The leading male character in ''Oklah ...
"). He and Laurey tease each other, while her Aunt Eller looks on. There will be a box social
Box social is a term for a social event that was widely used in the early 1900s with varying definitions in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
American usage
In the U.S. state of Vermont the tradition is that women decorate a card ...
dance that night, which includes an auction of lunch baskets prepared by the local women to raise funds for a schoolhouse. Each man who wins a basket will eat lunch with the lady who prepared it. Curly asks Laurey to go with him, but she refuses, feeling that he has waited too long. To persuade her, he says he will take her in the finest carriage money can buy ("The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" is a show tune from the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Oklahoma!''. The piece was recorded in 1952 by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, which influenced trumpeter Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, ...
"), but she teases him about it until he says he made it up to get back at her. She flounces off, not realizing that he really has rented such a surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
.
The lonely, disturbed farmhand Jud Fry has become obsessed with Laurey and asks her to the dance. She accepts to spite Curly, although she is afraid of Jud. Meanwhile, cowboy Will Parker returns from a trip to modern Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
, and shows off his souvenirs ("Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
"). He won $50 ($ today) at the fair, which, according to his girlfriend Ado Annie's father, Andrew Carnes, is the amount he needs to marry Ado Annie. Unfortunately, he spent all the money on gifts for her and one for her father: a Little Wonder (a metal tube used for looking at pictures, but with a hidden blade inside). He is unaware of its deadly secret. Later, Ado Annie confesses to Laurey that while Will was away, she has spent a lot of time with Ali Hakim, a Persian peddler. Laurey says she'll have to choose between them, but Ado Annie insists she loves them both ("I Cain't Say No
"I Cain't Say No" is a song from the 1943 musical play ''Oklahoma!'' written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, initially performed by Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an ...
"). Laurey and her friends prepare for the social, while Gertie Cummings flirts with Curly. Laurey notices and tells her friends that she doesn't really care about Curly ("Many a New Day
"Many a New Day" is a song from the 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!'', written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was introduced by Joan Roberts in the original Broadway production. In the 1955 film, the song is performed by Shirley Jones ...
").
Andrew Carnes sees Annie with Ali Hakim; he forces Hakim at gunpoint to agree to marry her. Hakim and the other men lament the unfairness of the situation (" It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!"). Curly discovers that Laurey is going to the box social with Jud and tries to convince her to go with him instead. Afraid to tell Jud she won't go with him, Laurey protests that she does not love Curly ("People Will Say We're in Love
"People Will Say We're In Love" is a show tune from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, ''Oklahoma!'' (1943). In the original Broadway production, the song was introduced by Alfred Drake and Joan Roberts.
Plot context
The other characters thin ...
"). Hurt by her refusal, Curly goes to the smokehouse where Jud lives to talk with him. Curly jokingly suggests that since Jud does not feel appreciated, he could hang himself, and everyone would realize how much they care about him ("Pore Jud Is Daid"). Their talk turns into an ominous confrontation about Laurey. After Curly leaves, Jud's resolve to win Laurey becomes even stronger, and he vows to make her his bride ("Lonely Room
"Lonely Room" is a tune from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!'', sung not too long after " Pore Jud Is Daid".
"Lonely Room" is Jud Fry's declaration that he will get out of his smokehouse and get Laurey Williams to be his own. He ...
").
Confused by her feelings for Curly and her fear of Jud, Laurey purchases a "magic potion" (laudanum
Laudanum is a tincture of opium containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight (the equivalent of 1% morphine). Laudanum is prepared by dissolving extracts from the opium poppy (''Papaver somniferum Linnaeus'') in alcohol (ethanol).
Red ...
) from Ali Hakim, which the unscrupulous peddler guarantees will reveal her true love. She muses on leaving her dreams of love behind and joining the man she loves ("Out of My Dreams"). Soon asleep under the influence of the opiate, in an extended ballet sequence, Laurey first dreams of marriage with Curly. Her dream takes a nightmarish turn when Jud appears and kills Curly; she cannot escape him, confused by her desires ("Dream Ballet
A dream ballet, in musical theater, is an all-dance, no-singing production number that reflects the themes of the production. The plot, themes, and characters are typically the same—although the people playing the characters may be different, as ...
"). Awakening, she realizes that Curly is the right man for her, but it is too late to change her mind about going to the dance with Jud, who arrives, and they leave for the box social.
Act II
At the social, during a square dance
A square dance is a dance for four couples, or eight dancers in total, arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances contain elements from numerous traditional dances and were first documente ...
("The Farmer and the Cowman
"The Farmer and the Cowman" is a song composed by Richard Rodgers and with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!''. It is sung primarily by Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, and Ike Skidmore. In various versions of ''Oklahoma! ...
"), the rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys over fences and water rights leads to fighting, which Aunt Eller ends by firing a gun to silence everyone. Laurey is upset when she sees Curly at the dance with Gertie. To rid himself of Ado Annie, Ali Hakim buys Will's souvenirs from Kansas City for $50. Jud also contributes to this by purchasing Will's Little Wonder, knowing of the blade concealed within it. The auction starts and Will bids $50 on Ado Annie's basket, not realizing that without the $50, he would not have the money to pay her father. Desperate to be rid of Ado Annie, the peddler bids $51 to get the basket so that Will can approach Andrew Carnes with the $50 and claim Ado Annie as his bride. The auction becomes much more serious when Laurey's basket comes up for auction. Jud has saved all his money so he can win Laurey's basket. Various men bid, trying to protect Laurey, but Jud outbids them all. Curly and Jud engage in a ferocious bidding war, and Curly sells his saddle, his horse, and even his gun to raise money. Curly outbids Jud and wins the basket. Jud discreetly tries to kill Curly with the Little Wonder, but his plan is foiled when Aunt Eller (knowing what is happening) loudly asks Curly for a dance. Later that night, Will and Annie work out their differences, as she reluctantly agrees not to flirt with other men ("All Er Nuthin'
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All al ...
").
Jud confronts Laurey about his feelings for her. When she admits that she does not return them, he threatens her. She then fires him as her farmhand, demanding that he get off her property. Jud furiously threatens Laurey before he departs; she bursts into tears and calls for Curly. She tells him that she has fired Jud and is frightened by what Jud might do now. Curly reassures her and proposes to her, and she accepts ("People Will Say We're In Love" (reprise)). He realizes that he must now become a farmer. Ali Hakim decides to leave the territory and bids Ado Annie goodbye, telling her Will is the man she should marry.
Three weeks later, Laurey and Curly are married as everyone celebrates the territory's impending statehood ("Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
"). Ali Hakim returns with Gertie, whom he has recently married after being threatened by her father with a shotgun. A drunken Jud reappears, kisses Laurey and punches Curly, and they begin a fistfight. Jud attacks Curly with a knife, and Curly dodges, causing Jud to fall on his own knife. Jud soon dies. The wedding guests hold a makeshift trial for Curly, at Aunt Eller's urging. The judge, Andrew Carnes, declares the verdict: "not guilty!" Curly and Laurey depart on their honeymoon in the surrey with the fringe on top ("Finale Ultimo").
Principal roles and notable performers
° denotes original Broadway cast
Musical numbers
;Act I
* Overture – Orchestra
* "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is the opening song from the musical ''Oklahoma!'', which premiered on Broadway in 1943. It was written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The leading male character in ''Oklah ...
" – Curly
* Laurey's Entrance – Laurey & Curly
* "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" is a show tune from the 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''Oklahoma!''. The piece was recorded in 1952 by jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, which influenced trumpeter Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, ...
" – Curly, Laurey, & Aunt Eller
* "Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
" – Will Parker, Aunt Eller, Male Ensemble
* "I Cain't Say No
"I Cain't Say No" is a song from the 1943 musical play ''Oklahoma!'' written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, initially performed by Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an ...
" – Ado Annie
* Entrance of Ensemble ("I Cain't Say No" and "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'") – Will, Ado Annie, Curly, Aunt Eller & Ensemble
* "Many a New Day
"Many a New Day" is a song from the 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!'', written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was introduced by Joan Roberts in the original Broadway production. In the 1955 film, the song is performed by Shirley Jones ...
" – Laurey and Female Ensemble
* " It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!" – Ali Hakim & Ensemble
* "People Will Say We're in Love
"People Will Say We're In Love" is a show tune from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, ''Oklahoma!'' (1943). In the original Broadway production, the song was introduced by Alfred Drake and Joan Roberts.
Plot context
The other characters thin ...
" – Curly & Laurey
* "Pore Jud Is Daid" – Curly & Jud
* "Lonely Room
"Lonely Room" is a tune from Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!'', sung not too long after " Pore Jud Is Daid".
"Lonely Room" is Jud Fry's declaration that he will get out of his smokehouse and get Laurey Williams to be his own. He ...
" – Jud
* "Out of My Dreams"/"Dream Ballet
A dream ballet, in musical theater, is an all-dance, no-singing production number that reflects the themes of the production. The plot, themes, and characters are typically the same—although the people playing the characters may be different, as ...
" – Laurey & Dream Figures
;Act II
* Entr'acte – Orchestra
* "The Farmer and the Cowman
"The Farmer and the Cowman" is a song composed by Richard Rodgers and with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!''. It is sung primarily by Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, and Ike Skidmore. In various versions of ''Oklahoma! ...
" – Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, Curly, Gertie Cummings, Will, Ado Annie, Laurey, Ike Skidmore, Cord Elam & Ensemble
* "All Er Nuthin'
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All al ...
" – Will & Ado Annie
* "People Will Say We're in Love" (Reprise) – Curly & Laurey
* "Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
" – Curly, Laurey, Aunt Eller, Ike Skidmore, Cord Elam, Fred, Andrew Carnes & Ensemble
* Finale Ultimo ("Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "People Will Say We're in Love") – Company
Production history
Original Broadway
The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943, at the St. James Theatre in New York City. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian
Rouben Zachary Mamoulian ( ; hy, Ռուբէն Մամուլեան; October 8, 1897 – December 4, 1987) was an American film and theatre director.
Early life
Mamoulian was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire, to a family of Armenian descent. H ...
, choreographed by Agnes de Mille
Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer.
Early years
Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...
and starred Alfred Drake
Alfred Drake (October 7, 1914 – July 25, 1992) was an American actor and singer.
Biography
Born as Alfred Capurro in New York City, the son of parents emigrated from Recco, Genoa, Drake began his Broadway career while still a student at Broo ...
(Curly), Joan Roberts
Joan Roberts (July 15, 1917 – August 13, 2012) was an American actress, most famous for creating the role of Laurey in the original Broadway production of ''Oklahoma!'' in 1943.
Early years
Roberts was born Josephine Rose Seagrist in Man ...
(Laurey), Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American stage, film and television actress.
Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in ''Come to th ...
(Ado Annie), Howard Da Silva
Howard Da Silva (born Howard Silverblatt, May 4, 1909 – February 16, 1986) was an American actor, director and musical performer on stage, film, television and radio. He was cast in dozens of productions on the New York stage, appeared in mo ...
(Jud Fry), Betty Garde
Katharine Elizabeth Garde (September 19, 1905 – December 25, 1989) was an American stage, radio, film and television actress.
Early years
Born in Philadelphia, Garde was starring in productions of South Philadelphia's Broadway Players by ...
(Aunt Eller), Lee Dixon
Lee Michael Dixon (born 17 March 1964) is an English retired professional footballer and pundit who played as a right-back for Arsenal. Dixon was also capped 22 times for England.
A childhood Manchester City fan, Dixon began his footballing ca ...
(Will Parker), Joseph Buloff
Joseph Buloff (December 6, 1899 – February 27, 1985) was a Jewish actor and director known for his work in Broadway and Yiddish theatre. He received the Itzik Manger Prize for contributions to Yiddish letters in 1974.
Life and care ...
(Ali Hakim), Jane Lawrence
Jane Lawrence Smith (February 3, 1915 – August 5, 2005), born Jane Brotherton, was an American actress and opera singer who was part of the New York art scene beginning in the 1950s.
Life and work
Jane Brotherton was born in Bozeman, Mon ...
(Gertie), Barry Kelley
Edward Barry Kelley (August 19, 1908 – June 5, 1991) was an American actor on Broadway in the 1930s and 1940s and in films during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. The heavy-set actor created the role of Ike in ''Oklahoma!'' on Broadway. His lar ...
(Ike) and George S. Irving
George S. Irving (born Irving Shelasky; November 1, 1922 – December 26, 2016) was an American actor known primarily for his character roles on Broadway theatre, Broadway and as the voice of Heat Miser in the American Christmas television spe ...
(Joe). Marc Platt danced the role of "Dream Curly", Katharine Sergava
Katharine Sergava (July 30, 1910 in Tbilisi, Georgia – November 26, 2005. Married name: Katharine Sergava Sznycer) was an actress and dancer.
She was best known for portraying both Ellen and the dream-ballet version of Laurey, the heroine, in ...
danced the part of "Dream Laurey" and the small dancing part of Aggie was played by Bambi Linn
Bambi Linn (born Bambina Linnemeier; April 26, 1926) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress.
Linn trained extensively with noted choreographer Agnes de Mille. At the age of 17, she made her Broadway debut in the original production o ...
. George Church danced the part of "Dream Jud".[ Church was replaced by Vladimir Kostenko two months after the premiere. The production's scenic designer was ]Lemuel Ayers
Lemuel Ayers (January 22, 1915, New York City, New York - August 14, 1955, New York City) was an American costume designer, scenic designer, lighting designer, and producer who had a prolific career on Broadway from 1939 until his death from cance ...
.
The production ran for 2,212 performances, finally closing on May 29, 1948. "The demand for tickets was unprecedented as the show became more popular in the months that followed" the opening.[Hischak, p. 202] ''Oklahoma!'' ran for over five years, a Broadway record that "would not be bested until ''My Fair Lady'' (1956)."[ The ]Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
s and other awards now given for achievement in musical theatre were not in existence in 1943, and therefore the original production of ''Oklahoma!'' received no theatrical awards.
Early U.S. tours
The first of several national tours began in New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
, Connecticut, in 1944. A 1953 article in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' reported that the show was "believed to be the only musical to have enjoyed a consecutive run of ten years. It ran on Broadway for five years and two months, grossing $7,000,000. The tour of the national company, which started late in 1943, has grossed $15,000,000." These tours reached 250 cities. John Raitt
John Emmet Raitt (; January 29, 1917 – February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre.
Early years
Raitt was born in Santa Ana, California, United States. He got his start in theatre ...
played Curly in the original production in Chicago. The United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
sponsored a tour to U.S. military bases in 1945 that lasted for several years. ''The New York Times'' reported in 1953:
Original West End
''Oklahoma!'' was the first of a post-war wave of Broadway musicals to reach London's West End. It starred Howard Keel
Harold Clifford Keel (April 13, 1919November 7, 2004), known professionally as Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer, known for his rich bass-baritone singing voice. He starred in a number of MGM musicals in the 1950s and in the CBS tel ...
(then known as Harold Keel) and Betty Jane Watson
Elizabeth Jane Watson (December 28, 1921 – February 21, 2016) was an American actress and singer known for her roles in musical theatre, especially Laurey in ''Oklahoma!'', creating the role in the London premiere. She also performed in nightclu ...
, opening at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
on April 30, 1947, to rave press reviews and sellout houses, running for 1,543 performances. A pre-London run opened a day late at the Manchester Opera House
The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring theatre that plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed building. The Opera House is one of the mai ...
on April 18, 1947, after the ship carrying the cast, scenery, and costumes ran aground on a sandbank off Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
.
Original Australian
An Australian production opened at His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
Her Majesty's Theatre is a 1,700-seat theatre in Melbourne's East End Theatre District, Australia. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia and is listed on the Victor ...
, on February 19, 1949. Gemze de Lappe
Gemze de Lappe (February 28, 1922, Portsmouth, Virginia – November 11, 2017 Manhattan) was an American dancer who worked very closely with Agnes de Mille and was frequently partnered by de Mille's favorite male dancer, James Mitchell.
Born to ...
choreographed and played Dream Laurey. It transferred to the Theatre Royal, Adelaide
The Theatre Royal on Hindley Street, Adelaide was a significant venue in the history of the stage and cinema in South Australia. After a small predecessor of the same name in Franklin Street, Adelaide (built 1838), the Theatre Royal in Hindley St ...
, on September 17, 1949, the Theatre Royal, Sydney
Theatre Royal Sydney is a theatre in Sydney, Australia built in 1976 and has offered a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. The theatre reopened in December 2021 under parent company Trafalgar Entertainment with patrons now able to book ...
, on November 29, 1949, and His Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane
Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane (1888–1983), (also known as ''His Majesty's Theatre'' between 1901–1952) opened as Her Imperial Majesty's Opera House in Brisbane, Australia on 2 April 1888. It was the largest theatre in Brisbane. It was loca ...
, on November 29, 1950.
1951 and 1979 Broadway revivals
A 1951 revival produced by the Theatre Guild opened at The Broadway Theatre
The Broadway Theatre (formerly Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre, and Ciné Roma) is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 1681 Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway (near 53rd Street (Manhatta ...
on May 9, 1951, and ran for 100 performances. Ridge Bond
Ridgely McClure "Ridge" Bond (July 12, 1922 – May 6, 1997) was an American actor, singer and businessman, who is best known for playing the role of Curly in the musical ''Oklahoma!'' on Broadway and on tour. He retired from acting when the music ...
played Curly, Patricia Northrop played Laurey, Henry Clarke was Jud, and Jacqueline Sundt played Ado Annie. Mamoulian and de Mille returned to direct and choreograph, and the production was restaged by Jerome Whyte.[Suskin, pp. 499–503.] In 1953, a 10th anniversary revival opened on August 31 at the New York City Center
New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and th ...
Theatre. It ran for a limited engagement of 40 performances before going on tour. The cast included Florence Henderson
Florence Agnes Henderson (February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016) was an American actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. Henderson also appeare ...
as Laurey, Ridge Bond
Ridgely McClure "Ridge" Bond (July 12, 1922 – May 6, 1997) was an American actor, singer and businessman, who is best known for playing the role of Curly in the musical ''Oklahoma!'' on Broadway and on tour. He retired from acting when the music ...
as Curly and Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook (October 25, 1927 – August 8, 2017) was an American actress and singer who first came to prominence in the 1950s as the lead in the original Broadway musicals ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955), ''Candide'' (1956) and ''The Music Man'' (19 ...
as Annie. Mamoulian and De Mille directed and choreographed.
A 1979 revival opened at the Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including:
Australia
*Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria
*Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales
Canada
*Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, Mo ...
on Broadway on December 13, 1979, and closed on August 24, 1980, running for 293 performances and nine previews. William Hammerstein (Oscar's son) directed, and Gemze de Lappe recreated Agnes De Mille's choreography. The show starred Christine Andreas
Christine Andreas (born October 1, 1951) is an American Broadway actress and singer.
Biography
Andreas was born in Camden, New Jersey, to James Francis Andreas, a systems analyst, and Teresa Cecilia Genovese Andreas. She graduated from Suffe ...
as Laurey, Laurence Guittard
Laurence Guittard (born July 16, 1939) is an American actor and singer, mostly appearing on the Broadway stage. He made his Broadway debut in ''Baker Street'' in 1965. Notable appearances include Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm in Stephen Sondheim's ' ...
as Curly, Mary Wickes
Mary Wickes (born Mary Isabella Wickenhauser; June 13, 1910 – October 22, 1995) was an American actress. She often played supporting roles as prim, professional women, secretaries, nurses, nuns, therapists, teachers and housekeepers, who made ...
as Aunt Eller, Christine Ebersole
Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co-s ...
as Ado Annie, Martin Vidnovic
Martin Vidnovic (born January 4, 1948) is an American actor and singer.
Career
Born in Falls Church, Virginia, Vidnovic graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music (part of the University of Cincinnati) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.Lovendus ...
as Jud Fry, Harry Groener
Harry Groener (born September 10, 1951) is a German-born American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (seasons 3, 4 and 7).
Early life
Groener was born in Augsburg, Bavaria, West German ...
as Will Parker and Bruce Adler
Bruce Adler (November 27, 1944 – July 25, 2008) was an American Broadway actor. After debuting on the Broadway stage in the 1979 revival of ''Oklahoma!'', he went on to a career that saw him nominated for Tony Awards as Best Featured Actor in ...
as Ali Hakim.[Gänzl, Kurt. ''Gänzl's Book of the Broadway Musical: 75 Favorite Shows, from ]H.M.S. Pinafore
''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which ...
to Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in t ...
'', pp. 103–08. Schirmer Books, New York, 1995. Andreas and Groener both received Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
nominations for their performances, and Vidnovic won a Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
. This production started as a cross-country national tour, beginning at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on May 1, 1979.
1980 West End revival
The following year, James Hammerstein
James Blanchard Hammerstein (March 23, 1931 – January 7, 1999) was an American theatre director and producer.
Life and career
Hammerstein was the son of interior designer Dorothy Hammerstein (née Blanchard) and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II ...
directed a production at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester
The Leicester Haymarket Theatre is a theatre in Leicester, England, next to the Haymarket Shopping Centre on Belgrave Gate in Leicester City centre.
History
The Haymarket Theatre was opened by Sir Ralph Richardson and the opening season started ...
, in January 1980, produced by Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...
and Emile Litler. The De Mille choreography was again adapted by de Lappe. A UK tour followed, and it eventually settled in the West End, opening at the Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. Its red-brick facade dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus behind a small plaza near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. The Palace ...
, on September 17, 1980, and running until September 19, 1981. This production starred John Diedrich
John Edwin Diedrich (born 25 February 1953 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian actor, director, producer and singer, known for stage and television roles in Australia and the UK.
He played the lead role of Curly in the 1980 West End revi ...
as Curly and Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...
as Jud Fry, both of whom were nominated for Olivier Awards
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
. Rosamund Shelley played Laurey, Madge Ryan
:''She is sometimes confused with American actress Fran Ryan.''
Madge Winifred Ryan (8 January 1919 – 9 January 1994) was an Australian actress, known for her stage and film roles in the United Kingdom, including London stage productions of ' ...
was Aunt Eller and Linal Haft
Linal Haft (born 23 March 1945 in Leeds) is an English actor, best known for playing controlling or manipulative characters in both film and television, most notably his role as businessman Harry Gold in the popular BBC soap opera ''EastEnders ...
was Ali Hakim.[ The production was ]Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
's debut in the West End, initially in the chorus role of Doris, but she was eventually promoted to the leading role. Sets and costumes were designed by Tim Goodchild. Ray Cook was Musical Director and John Owen Edwards Conductor (Owen Edwards became Musical Director for Mackintosh's 1998 London revival). A cast recording of this production was issued by JAY Records and on the ''Showtime!'' label.
1982 Australian revival
John Diedrich reprised his role as Curly for the national 1982–1983 tour of his native Australia. Again presented by Cameron Mackintosh, the tour was produced by the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust
Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia's first multi-purpose arts centre and the home of South Australia's performing arts, was built in the 1970s, designed by Hassell Architects. The Festival Theatre opened in June 1973 with the rest of the centr ...
, Edgley International
Edgley International is a theatre and concert promotions company from Australia, first started in the 1930s and run by several generations.
It has also been known as Edgley & Dawe Attractions, Edgley Ventures, and Michael Edgley Internationa ...
and The MLC Theatre Royal Company. It opened at the Adelaide Festival Theatre on April 30, 1982, transferred to the Theatre Royal, Sydney
Theatre Royal Sydney is a theatre in Sydney, Australia built in 1976 and has offered a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. The theatre reopened in December 2021 under parent company Trafalgar Entertainment with patrons now able to book ...
on June 5, 1982, then to Her Majestys Theatre, Melbourne on November 8, 1982, and concluded at Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane
Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane (1888–1983), (also known as ''His Majesty's Theatre'' between 1901–1952) opened as Her Imperial Majesty's Opera House in Brisbane, Brisbane, Australia on 2 April 1888. It was the largest theatre in Brisbane. I ...
in April 1983. The cast included Henri Szeps
Henri Szeps OAM, (born 2 October 1943) alternatively Henry Szeps, is an Australian character actor of theatre and television. He has also featured in films and worked in voice roles, and has worked in productions in the United Kingdom.
Early ...
as Ali Hakin and Neil Melville
Neil Melville is an Australian actor. He was born in Sydney, but spent most of his childhood in Apollo Bay, Victoria.
In the early 1970s he was lead singer of Geelong rock band "The Iliad".
Melville graduated from Adelaide's Flinders University w ...
as Cord Elan. Direction was again by William Hammerstein, the De Mille choreography again adapted by de Lappe, with sets and costumes again by Tim Goodchild. This was the musical theatre debut for Caroline O'Connor as an ensemble player and swing/understudy.
1998 West End revival
A dark-themed production of the musical was presented by the National Theatre in London at the Olivier Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. In ...
, opening on July 15, 1998. The production team included Trevor Nunn
Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is a British theatre director. He has been the Artistic Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He has directed dramas f ...
(director), Susan Stroman
Susan P. Stroman (born October 17, 1954) is an American theatre director, choreographer, film director and performer. Her notable theater productions include '' The Producers'', '' Crazy for You'', ''Contact'', and '' The Scottsboro Boys''. She i ...
(choreographer) and William David Brohn
William David "Bill" Brohn (March 30, 1933 – May 11, 2017) was an American arranger and orchestrator, best known for his scores of musicals such as ''Miss Saigon'', ''Ragtime'' and ''Wicked''. He won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for ' ...
(orchestrator). The international cast included Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...
as Curly, Maureen Lipman
Dame Maureen Diane Lipman (born 10 May 1946) is an English actress, writer and comedian. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and her stage work has included appearances with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakesp ...
as Aunt Eller, Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963) is a British stage and television actress, and a former ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays.
Theatrical career
Gabrielle was born in London in October 1963 to ...
as Laurey, Shuler Hensley
Shuler Paul Hensley (born March 6, 1967) is an American singer and actor.
Early life
Hensley was born in Atlanta, Georgia. The youngest of three children, Hensley grew up in Marietta, Georgia. His father, Sam P. Hensley Jr., is a former Georgia T ...
as Jud Fry, Vicki Simon as Ado Annie, Peter Polycarpou
Peter Polycarpou is an English-Cypriot actor, best known for playing Chris Theodopolopodous in the television comedy series '' Birds of a Feather'' and Louis Charalambos in ''The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies''.
Early life
Polycarpou w ...
as Ali Hakim and Jimmy Johnston as Will Parker.[Heppel, David]
"Curtain Up review, ''Oklahoma!'', 1998"
Curtainup.com, July 1998, accessed May 20, 2010 Musical director John Owen Edwards, Brohn and dance arranger David Krane adapted Robert Russell Bennett
Robert Russell Bennett (June 15, 1894 – August 18, 1981) was an American composer and arranger, best known for his orchestration of many well-known Broadway and Hollywood musicals by other composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, ...
's original orchestrations and extended some of the dance sequences. A new Dream Ballet was composed for Susan Stroman
Susan P. Stroman (born October 17, 1954) is an American theatre director, choreographer, film director and performer. Her notable theater productions include '' The Producers'', '' Crazy for You'', ''Contact'', and '' The Scottsboro Boys''. She i ...
's new choreography, and the dances to "Kansas City", "Many a New Day" and "The Farmer and the Cowman" were all redesigned. The overture was also altered, at the request of Nunn. Jackman and Gabrielle performed the ballet themselves.
The production received numerous Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...
nominations, winning for Outstanding Musical Production, supporting actor (Hensley), set design (Anthony Ward
Anthony Ward (born 1957) is a British theatre designer specializing in set and costume design. He studied theatre design at Wimbledon School of Art.
He has designed productions for the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Donmar ...
) and choreography (Stroman). According to the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, the limited engagement was a sell-out and broke all previous box office records, and so the show was transferred to the Lyceum Theatre in the West End for a six-month run.[ Plans to transfer to Broadway with the London cast were thwarted by ]Actors' Equity
The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a book ...
, which insisted that American actors must be cast. Eventually a U.S. cast was selected. The production was filmed live and issued on DVD, as well as being broadcast on U.S. Public Television
Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...
in November 2003.
2002 Broadway revival
The London production was repeated on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre
The Gershwin Theatre (originally the Uris Theatre) is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 222 West 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street, on the second floor of the Paramount Plaza office building, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New ...
on March 21, 2002, with direction by Nunn. The production closed on February 23, 2003, after 388 performances. Only two of the London cast, Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey and Shuler Hensley as Jud, were in the production, which also featured Patrick Wilson
Patrick Joseph Wilson (born July 3, 1973) is an American actor and director. He began his career in 1995, starring in Broadway musicals. He received nominations for two Tony Awards for his roles in ''The Full Monty'' (2000–2001) and ''Oklahoma ...
as Curly, Andrea Martin
Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American-Canadian actress, singer, and comedian, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and ''Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), ''W ...
as Aunt Eller and Justin Bohon as Will. It was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (which was awarded to Hensley). The musical was also nominated for nine Drama Desk Awards, with Hensley winning as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and Susan Stroman winning for choreography.
Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
wrote in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'': "At its best, which is usually when it's dancing, this resurrection of Rodgers and Hammerstein's epochal show is dewy with an adolescent lustiness, both carnal and naive, exuberant and confused." The review stated that "Anthony Ward's harmoniously curved set, in which the sky seems to stretch into eternity, again pulses with the promise of a land on the verge of transformation." The ''New York Daily News
The New York ''Daily News'', officially titled the ''Daily News'', is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, NJ. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in ta ...
'' review commented that "Visually, this one is stunning – at times, Anthony Ward's sets have a pastoral, idyllic quality, like Thomas Hart Benton's paintings. At other times, especially in lighting designer David Hersey's lustrous palette, they convey the bleakness of the frontier." The review also stated that the Royal National Theatre "brought it back to us in a way that makes it seem fresh and vital." However, ''USA Today'' gave the production a tepid assessment, its reviewer writing: "A cold breeze blows through this beautiful mornin', and that golden haze is never quite bright enough." The production went on to tour nationally from 2003 to 2005.
2019 Broadway revival; 2022 London transfer
Following a 2015 workshop at Bard College
Bard College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The campus overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, and is within the Hudson River Historic ...
and a 2018 run at Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
's St. Ann's Warehouse
St. Ann's Warehouse is a performing arts institution in Brooklyn, New York City. Formerly the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity on Montague Street, in 1980 the site was converted into a venue for classical music. Initially known as ''Arts a ...
, a 75th anniversary staging of ''Oklahoma!'' transferred to Broadway at Circle in the Square Theatre
The Circle in the Square Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 50th Street, in the basement of Paramount Plaza, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is one of two Broadway theaters that use a thrust stage that extends ...
. The production was directed by Daniel Fish
Daniel Fish is an American theater director based in New York City.
Early career
Daniel Fish graduated from Northwestern University with a BS in performance studies. From 1989 to 1993 he worked as the assistant director to Michael Kahn at the Sha ...
in an intimate, immersive in-the-round style, set in a community hall, with chili and cornbread served to the audience at intermission. The production's most important tonal change involved the character of Jud Fry. Instead of the sinister brooding and threatening Jud of the original production, in the revival he is depicted in a positive, sympathetic light, and his death came, not as an accident, but as an intended act at the hands of Curly, followed by a sham trial to clear Curly of the blame.
The production began preview performances on March 19, 2019, and officially opened on April 7 for a limited run through January 19, 2020. It starred Rebecca Naomi Jones
Rebecca Naomi Jones (born March 31, 1981) is an American actress and singer best known for her performances in the Broadway rock musicals ''Passing Strange'', '' American Idiot'', and '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' as well as being the first wo ...
as Laurey, Damon Daunno
Damon Daunno (born November 28, 1984) is an American actor and singer. A native of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Daunno graduated from Tisch School of the Arts. He starred in the 2019 Broadway revival of ''Oklahoma!'' as Curly, for which he received a ...
as Curly, Ali Stroker
Alyson Mackenzie Stroker (born June 16, 1987) is an American actress, author and singer. She is the first wheelchair-using actor to appear on a Broadway theatre, Broadway stage, and also the first to be nominated for and win a Tony Award. Stroker ...
as Ado Annie, James Davis as Will Parker, Will Brill
Will Brill is an American actor best known for his role as Scott Brown in ''The OA''. Brill grew up in Menlo Park, California and graduated from Gunn High School in nearby Palo Alto. Brill is a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.
In ...
as Ali Hakim, Patrick Vaill as Jud and Mary Testa
Mary Testa (born June 4, 1955) is an American stage and film actress. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's '' On the Town'' (1998), '' 42nd Street'' (2001) and'' Oklahoma'' (2019).
Early life ...
as Aunt Eller. The production featured choreography by John Heginbotham and music arrangements by Daniel Kluger, performed by a seven-piece band. The production was nominated for eight Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
s and won Best Revival of a Musical and Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Stroker, making her the first wheelchair user to win a Tony.
For the 2021–2022 national tour, Fish rethought the presentation, which remains expressionistic but substitutes a proscenium
A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
back-drop, which "renders the original authorial intents far more in balance with the radical ideas of the production", allowing the cast to play their parts with a contemporary naturalism, according to ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' critic Chris Jones. The cast includes Sasha Hutchings
Sasha Hutchings (born December 21, 1988) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is best known for her role as an understudy and ensemble member in the original Broadway cast of ''Hamilton (musical), Hamilton.''
Hutchings has also appear ...
as Laurey, Sean Grandillo
Sean Grandillo (born December 9, 1992) is an American actor, singer and musician, known for his roles as the Voice of Otto in the 2015 Broadway revival of '' Spring Awakening'', Eli Hudson in MTV's horror series ''Scream'', Brett Young in ABC's ...
as Curly and Barbara Walsh
Barbara Walsh (born June 3, 1955) is an American musical theatre actress who has appeared in several prominent Broadway productions. Walsh is known for her Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominated role as Trina in the original Broadway productio ...
as Aunt Eller.
In May 2022, the production reopened at the Young Vic
The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth.
The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has been Artistic Director since February 201 ...
in London for a seven-week limited run, starring Arthur Darvill as Curley and Anoushka Lucas as Laurey, with Marisha Wallace as Ado Annie and Patrick Vaill as Jud. The production is scheduled to transfer to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre in February 2023.
Other notable productions
Discoveryland
''Oklahoma!'' was presented nightly except Sundays each summer at the Discoveryland amphitheater, an outdoor theatre in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, from 1977 until 2011.["Discoveryland! Honors and Awards"]
, Discoveryland! USA, Inc., accessed July 11, 2010 In 1993, Mary Rodgers (daughter of Richard Rodgers) and William Hammerstein (son of Oscar Hammerstein II) designated Discoveryland the "National Home of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''Oklahoma!''"[
]
2006 Japan
In 2006, ''Oklahoma!'' was performed in Japan by the all-female Takarazuka Revue. This revival starred Yuu Todoroki, Ai Shirosaki, and Hiromu Kiriya.
2009 Chichester Theatre Festival
In the summer of 2009, British director John Doyle (director), John Doyle directed the musical at the Chichester Festival Theatre. The production was dark in concept and featured new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. On a spare stage, decorated only with blue sheets, "Confetti of rose petals stains the floor like drops of blood, and a nightmarish dream-dance sequence has Freudian overtones as Laurey's bridal gown becomes her shroud."[Gardner, Lyn]
"'Oklahoma!'Chichester Festival Theatre"
''The Guardian'', June 27, 2009[Cavendish, Dominic]
"''Oklahoma!'' at Chichester"
''The Telegraph'', June 25, 2009, accessed June 7, 2010 It received mixed reviews. ''The Times'' reviewer wrote: "This is a very stylised, overdrilled production, no friend of intimate moments or quiet depth of emotion." ''The Guardian'' liked it the most, stating that "it's a delight, with one brilliant tippy-tappy-toed song after another and a nugget of darkness lodged in its sweet heart."[ ''Whats On Stage'', like most of the papers, gave the show three out of five stars and wrote that this is a "downbeat vision" and that "all told it's a somewhat disappointing show", but their "average reader rating" was four stars. A review in ''The Daily Telegraph, The Telegraph'' commented, "Doyle uses shadow and silhouette to bring out the musical's nightmarish aspects but doesn't over-labour them. There are enough sunny spots – no more so than in Act 2's rousing title song – to keep the tone evenly textured."][
]
2010 UK tour
The show toured England for nine months in 2010 in a new staging by Julian Woolford, with Marti Webb as Aunt Eller and Mark Evans (actor), Mark Evans as Curly.
2010 Washington, DC Arena Stage
''Oklahoma!'' opened in October 2010 at the Arena Stage to critical acclaim.[Marks, Peter]
"A grand new state: You just cain't say no to Arena Stage's 'Oklahoma!'"
, ''The Washington Post'', November 6, 2010 Artistic Director Molly Smith cast African-American actresses as Laurey and Aunt Eller to mirror both modern Washington, D.C., demographics and the diverse population of the musical's 1906 Oklahoma territory setting. The production received ten 2011 Helen Hayes Award nominations, winning as Outstanding Resident Musical (tying with Shakespeare Theatre's ''Candide'') and for choreography (Parker Esse), lead actor (Nicholas Rodriguez as Curly) and musical direction (George Fulginiti-Shakar). The production returned to the Arena Stage for a second run in 2011.
2012, Seattle, Washington, 5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre's 2012 production, directed by Peter Rothstein, included African-American dancers and an African-American actor as Jud.[Strangeways, Michael]
"''Oklahoma!'' at the 5th Avenue Is a Bit Problematic"
''Seattle Gay Scene'', February 10, 2012 The choice was intended, as in the Arena Stage production, to reflect the historical presence of African Americans in the Oklahoma territory, but it "has some audience members squirming in their seats ... they're seeing on stage one of the ugliest stereotypes in our history: an imposing black man ravaging a petite white woman [and] the white hero ... all but urges Jud to hang himself – and even pantomimes the act. Some see a clear reference to lynching."[Brodeur, Nicole]
"''Oklahoma'' seen in a new light"
''The Seattle Times'', February 20, 2012 The "Dream Ballet" had a sinister, sexual tone and ended with Jud dragging Laurey away to be raped. One critic noted the historical "license taken when an African-American farmhand is allowed to escort a white woman to the box dance. ... Maybe some people ... left with not so much a song in their head, but a question in their heart. And isn't that part of what theater is supposed to do?"[ Another wrote: "Rothstein's ''Oklahoma!'' is now the story of a crazy, sex obsessed black man ... lusting violently after his white mistress, who ends up murdered at the hands of a white man, who gets off scot free after a mock trial."][
]
2015 UK tour
A UK tour ran from February to August 2015, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and starring Ashley Day as Curly, Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey, Belinda Lang as Aunt Eller and Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim.
1955 film adaptation
The 1955 film adaptation starred Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones (in her film debut), Rod Steiger, Charlotte Greenwood, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson, James Whitmore and Eddie Albert. It was the only musical film directed by Fred Zinnemann,[Audio commentary by Ted Chapin and Hugh Fordin, CinemaScope version of film, 2-DVD 50th Anniversary Edition (2005), 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment] and Agnes de Mille
Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer.
Early years
Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...
choreographed. It was the first feature film photographed in the Todd-AO 70 mm film, 70 mm widescreen process.
Rodgers and Hammerstein personally oversaw the film to prevent the studio from making the changes that were then typical of stage-to-film musical adaptations, such as interpolating new songs by others. The film followed the stage version more closely than any other Rodgers and Hammerstein stage-to-film adaptation, although it divided the long first scene into several shorter scenes, changing the locations of several of the songs. For example, "Kansas City" is performed at the train station, where Aunt Eller and other cowboys meet Will Parker just after he returns from Kansas City. Lyrics in the song about a burlesque stripteaser were slightly changed to pass censorship, film censorship. In a nod to ''Green Grow the Lilacs
Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.
The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word '' gringo'' that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops si ...
'', which was the basis of the musical, Jud attempts revenge on Curly and Laurey by burning a haystack they stand on, before Curly jumps down, landing on Jud and causing him to fall on his own knife. The film omits only "It's a Scandal, It's a Outrage" and "Lonely Room". The film won Academy Awards for Academy Award for Original Music Score, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Academy Award for Sound, Best Sound, Recording.
Recordings
Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra both recorded versions of "People Will Say We’re In Love" and "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" in 1943.[Carter 2007, p. 226] Due to the 1942–1944 musicians' strike, however, these recordings featured no instrumental accompaniment and instead "were lugubriously weighed down by ''a cappella'' backup."[Maslon, Laurence]
How ''Oklahoma!'' revolutionized the cast album
''The New York Times'', July 10, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2021 Producers of ''Oklahoma!'' lamented the lack of high-quality official recordings, with writing to a colleague in August 1943: "There are no records of ''Oklahoma!'' that we can send you. As you know, the James Petrillo, Petrillo ban on the union musicians still holds. They cannot play for broadcasting so the only record that has been made is a singing of "People Will Say We’re in Love" with Frank Sinatra, which if it sounds anything like his radio singing of the same must be terrible."[ Decca Records president Jack Kapp settled with the union in September 1943, and three weeks later he hastily booked the original cast and orchestra of ''Oklahoma!'' into a recording studio.][
At a time when Broadway numbers were typically recorded by popular singers with smaller bands, it was unique for ''Oklahoma!'' to record its original cast with full orchestration. Although some tunes were not included due to time and cost constraints, most of the songs from ''Oklahoma!'' were released on a record album by Decca Records in 1943 containing six 10-inch double-sided discs in 78 RPM format. It sold more than one million copies, prompting the label to call the cast back into the studio to record three additional selections that had been left out of the first set. These were issued as ''Oklahoma! Volume Two''. In 1949, Decca re-released the first set on LP but not the second set, which soon became a very rare collectors' item. All subsequent LP releases were similarly incomplete. Finally in 2000, Decca Broadway went back to the original glass masters to generate a new high fidelity transfer of the complete song program and released it on CD, utilizing the original 78 album artwork.
The success of the original ''Oklahoma!'' cast album set a precedent for the production of cast album, original cast recordings of Broadway musicals, which became an essential part of a musical's dissemination and endurance in popular culture. Later cast recordings of ''Oklahoma!'' include the 1979 Broadway cast recording, the 1980 London cast recording, the 1998 Royal National Theatre cast recording, the 2019 Broadway cast recording, and a Oklahoma! (soundtrack), soundtrack album of the Oklahoma! (1955 film), 1955 film. There have also been more than 20 studio cast recordings of the show, featuring stars such as Nelson Eddy, ]John Raitt
John Emmet Raitt (; January 29, 1917 – February 20, 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in musical theatre.
Early years
Raitt was born in Santa Ana, California, United States. He got his start in theatre ...
and Florence Henderson
Florence Agnes Henderson (February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016) was an American actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. Henderson also appeare ...
in the leading roles.
Reception
The original production of ''Oklahoma!'' was an unprecedented critical and popular success. John Anderson of the ''New York Journal American'' pronounced the musical "a beautiful and delightful show, fresh and imaginative, as enchanting to the eye as Richard Rodgers's music is to the ear. It has, at a rough estimate, practically everything".[ In the ''New York Herald Tribune'', Howard Barnes wrote, "Songs, dances, and a story have been triumphantly blended. ... The Richard Rodgers score is one of his best, and that is saying plenty. Oscar Hammerstein 2nd has written a dramatically imaginative libretto and a string of catchy lyrics; Agnes de Mille has worked small miracles in devising original dances to fit the story and the tunes, while Rouben Mamoulian has directed an excellent company with great taste and craftsmanship."][ Louis Kronenberger of PM (newspaper), ''PM'' opined that "Mr. Hammerstein's lyrics have less crispness and wit than Lorenz Hart's at their best, but the songs in ''Oklahoma!'' call for less sophisticated words, and Mr. Hammerstein has found very likeable ones."][
In the ''Daily News (New York), New York Daily News'', Burns Mantle declared that "''Oklahoma!'' really is different – beautifully different. With the songs that Richard Rodgers has fitted to a collection of unusually atmospheric and intelligible lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein 2nd, ''Oklahoma!'' seems to me to be the most thoroughly and attractively American musical comedy since Edna Ferber's ''Show Boat''".][ ''New York World-Telegram'' critic Burton Rascoe particularly emphasized the groundbreaking choreography, stating that "Richard Rodgers has written for the show one of the finest musical scores any musical play ever had. Next to Mr. Rodgers, however, must stand the amazing Agnes de Mille, whose choreography, carried out to perfection by her ballet [corps], is actually the biggest hit of the show. The "Out of My Dreams" and "All Er Nuthin'" dances are such supreme aesthetic delights. ... They are spinetingling, out of this world."][ In ''The New York Sun'', Ward Morehouse commented that "''Oklahoma!'' is charming and leisurely. And tunely. And certainly not topical," as other shows had been in the early years of World War II. "It reveals Mr. Rodgers, shorn only for the moment of Larry Hart, in good form indeed. And nobody in last night's audience seemed to have a better time than Mr. Hart himself, who applauded the proceedings from a seat in Row B."][ Lorenz Hart himself "pushed his way through the crowd at the after-show party in Sardi's restaurant and threw his arms around his ex-partner, grinning from ear to ear. He told Rodgers he had never had a better evening at the theater in his life."][
The only negative review of the musical appeared in the '']New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'': The critic wrote that "it all seemed just a trifle too cute", stating that the score consisted of "a flock of Mr. Rodgers's songs that are pleasant enough, but still manage to sound quite a bit alike ... without much variety in the presentation." She concluded that the show was "very picturesque in a studied fashion, reminding us that life on a farm is apt to become a little tiresome."[
]
Antecedents and influence
According to playwright and theatre writer Thomas Hischak, "Not only is ''Oklahoma!'' the most important of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, it is also the single most influential work in the American musical theatre. ... It is the first fully integrated musical play and its blending of song, character, plot and even dance would serve as the model for Broadway shows for decades." William Zinsser observed that ''Oklahoma!'' broke the old "musical comedy conventions", with the songs "delving into character" and advancing the plot. The show "became a milestone, so that later historians writing about important moments in twentieth-century theatre would begin to identify eras according to their relationship to ''Oklahoma!''" ''Oklahoma!'' made Rodgers and Hammerstein "the most important contributors to the musical-play form. ... The examples they set in creating vital plays, often rich with social thought, provided the necessary encouragement for other gifted writers to create musical plays of their own".
Theater historian Ethan Mordden points out that, although ''Oklahoma!'' has been called "the first integrated musical, the first American folk musical", ''Show Boat
''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'' "got there first on both counts."[Mordden (1988), p. 140] Even earlier, the Princess Theatre, New York City, Princess Theatre musicals, following Gilbert and Sullivan and French ''opéra bouffe'', began the reintegration of song and story after decades of thinly plotted British and American musicals, paving the way for ''Show Boat'' and ''Oklahoma!'' by showing that a musical could combine popular entertainment with continuity between its story and songs. These Princess Theatre shows, which featured modern American settings, "built and polished the mold from which almost all later major musical comedies evolved. ... The characters and situations were, within the limitations of musical comedy license, believable and the humor came from the situations or the nature of the characters. Jerome Kern, Kern's exquisitely flowing melodies were employed to further the action or develop characterization."[Kenrick, John]
''History of The Musical Stage 1910–1919: Part I''
accessed May 11, 2010 Mordden also notes that ''Oklahoma!'' was called the first great dance musical, but other musicals had earlier focused on dance, among them ''Gay Divorce'' and ''On Your Toes''. He concludes: "But ''Oklahoma!'' was the first American musical with an ethnic sound, words and music entirely in the folk idiom."[
Critic Andrea Most argues that the musical reflected author's and composer's Jewish heritage and desires for Jewish Americans. Most asserts that the musical was written at a time when America presented Jews with an opportunity to gain privileged status by assimilating into mainstream American culture and passing as white Americans. Most claims that although there were rarely any identifiably Jewish characters in plays of this time period, characters such as Ali and Jud allowed for subtle Jewish representation, Ali embodying an accepted and friendly ideal for Jewish-Americans and Jud embodying Jewish-Americans' fear of becoming a marginalized minority like black Americans.
]
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
1979 Broadway revival
1980 West End revival
1998 West End revival
2002 Broadway revival
2019 Broadway revival
In popular culture
''Oklahoma!'' has frequently been quoted or parodied in films, television and other media. The following list includes some of the more noteworthy references.
Films
* The songs "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "Oklahoma!" were spoofed in the animated film ''South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut''. One of the spoofs is the song "Uncle Fucka", which parodies the spelled-out O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A of the musical's title song. A similar spoof is heard in the musical ''Curtains (musical), Curtains'', concerning the title song of the ''Oklahoma!''-like musical performed within the show.
* In the film ''When Harry Met Sally...'', Harry and Sally sing a karaoke version of "Surrey With the Fringe on Top".
* In the film ''Twister (1996 film), Twister'', Beltzer is heard singing the song "Oklahoma!" when he is introduced.
* In the film ''Dave (film), Dave'', the title character sings the song "Oklahoma!"
* In the film ''I Can Only Imagine (film), I Can Only Imagine'', Bart Millard performs "Oklahoma!" for his school play.
* The 2020 film ''I'm Thinking of Ending Things (film), I'm Thinking of Ending Things'' contains several references to ''Oklahoma!'' and a performance of the song "Lonely Room".
Television
* In ''The Simpsons'' episode "Milhouse of Sand and Fog", the character Milhouse imagines himself and Bart singing "The Farmer and the Cowman
"The Farmer and the Cowman" is a song composed by Richard Rodgers and with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for their 1943 musical ''Oklahoma!''. It is sung primarily by Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, and Ike Skidmore. In various versions of ''Oklahoma! ...
". Another episode, "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say D'oh", begins with Llewellyn Sinclair directing a production of ''Oklahoma!'' with Marge as Ado Annie. Llewellyn is frustrated every time Marge tells him "no", since Ado Annie "cain't say no".
* ''Sesame Street'' featured Kermit the Frog directing the film "Oklahoma" and Forgetful Jones singing the title song but forgetting how it begins. In 1977, Ray Charles performed "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" on Sesame Street, while Oscar the grouch sang to himself "Oh what a rotten old morning/Oh what a rotten old day". On episode 317 of ''The Muppet Show'', Fozzie Bear, dressed as a cowboy, begins to sing "Oklahoma", but large Muppets dressed as Samurai warriors turn the number into a parody called "Yokohama".
* ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' spoofed the musical as "Ducklahoma", which heavily featured anvils.
* In an episode of ''3rd Rock from the Sun'', "3rd Rock from the Sun (season 1), Frozen Dick", Dick Solomon, Dick sings a rendition of "Oklahoma!" in a diner; the patrons in the diner sing along with him.
* In the ''Fawlty Towers'' episode "Gourmet Night", Polly sings "I Cain't Say No
"I Cain't Say No" is a song from the 1943 musical play ''Oklahoma!'' written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, initially performed by Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an ...
".
* In episode 9 of ''Band of Brothers (TV miniseries), Band of Brothers'', "Why We Fight" (2001), the soldiers the title song.
* The HBO series ''Watchmen (TV series), Watchmen'', set in Tulsa, frequently references the musical through the score, character names, lyrics, and integrates its music, themes and plot points in the episodes, once including a fully-staged performance of the song "Oklahoma!".
* The ''Euphoria (American TV series), Euphoria'' episode "Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys" shows Lexi writing a play to compete with the school's production of ''Oklahoma!''. Cassie's attempt to dress fashionably is mistaken as an audition outfit for ''Oklahoma!''.[Di Placido, Dani]
"''Euphoria'' Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: 'Heartache and Headache'"
''Forbes'', January 26, 2022
Other media
* On April 4, 1944, comedian Fred Allen performed a parody of "Oklahoma!" on his CBS radio show. In Allen's version "Oklahoma!" became "North Dakota," "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" became "Oh, What a Miserable Morning," and "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" became "Union Suit with the Hinge on the Back.".
* The title song became the official state song of Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
in 1953. (Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907.)
* In Truman Capote's 1958 novella ''Breakfast at Tiffany's (novella), Breakfast at Tiffany's'', Holly Golightly (character), Holly Golightly sings music from ''Oklahoma!'' while accompanying herself on her guitar.
Notes
References
*Carter, Tim. ''Oklahoma!: the making of an American musical''. Yale University Press, 2007,
*Everett, William A. and Paul R. Laird. ''The Cambridge Companion to the Musical'', Cambridge University Press, 2002,
*Hischak, Thomas S. ''The Rodgers and Hammerstein Encyclopedia''. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007,
*Jones, John B
''Our Musicals, Ourselves''
Hanover: University Press of New England, 2003
*Kantor, Michael and Maslon, Laurence. ''Broadway: The American Musical''. New York: Bullfinch Press, 2004.
* Ethan Mordden, Mordden, Ethan. ''Broadway Babies: The People Who Made the American Musical'', Oxford University Press (1988)
*Nolan, Frederick. ''The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein''. New York: Applause Books, 2002,
*Stempel, Larry. ''Showtime: A History of the Broadway Musical Theater''. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010,
Further reading
*Block, Geoffrey. ''The Richard Rodgers Reader''. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
*Ewen, David. ''With a Song in His Heart (Richard Rodgers)''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963.
*Fordin, Hugh. ''Getting To Know Him: The Biography of Oscar Hammerstein II''. New York: Random House, 1977; Decapo Press, 1995.
*Green, Stanley. ''The Rodgers and Hammerstein Fact Book''. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 1980.
*Mordden, Ethan. ''Rodgers & Hammerstein''. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992.
*Purdum, Todd S. ''Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution''. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2018.
External links
*
Information from the Theatre History website
RNH Theatricals site
Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #8
– Excerpts sung by original cast; commentary by Rodgers and Hammerstein
{{Authority control
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