Oklahoma!

OKLAHOMA! features exquisite choreography and stellar performances. Oklahoma! ( # 5 on my all-time list of musicals) opened in 1943 on Broadway, lasted over five years (an unheard of run in that era of 2,248 performances) toured the USA for ten years playing to over 250 cities and playing to an audience in excess of ten million. Critically acclaimed as the first 'musical play,' where all the songs came out of character, furthered the plot where music, lyrics and book combined with dance to tell the story. Oklahoma! was the first Broadway musical to incorporate ballet as a storytelling devise in the famous "Dream Ballet" act-ending number." In short, Oklahoma! changed how Broadway did musicals making it a landmark show where song and dance became key elements in the storytelling. All subsequent shows followed Oklahoma's model Oklahoma! was the first collaboration for Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II who went on the reshape Broadway with Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, State Fair and The Sound of Music.  Stephen Sondheim lovingly referred to Oklahoma! as "Oscar's picnic." Oklahoma! contains one of the finest and most memorable scores ever written for the stage and the creative genius of Rodgers & Hammerstein instantly becomes apparent within the first few bars of "Oh, What A Beautiful Morin'. "

No one is better at doing these classics than director William Pullinsi. His long background (at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse) gives him a feel for preserving these great shows exactly as they were meant to be produced. He understands that audiences want to appreciate the original magic of these works. No reinterpretation here. Thank God! With Oklahoma!,  Pullinsi has cast this show from Chicago's "A" list talent.

With the boyishly charming and golden voiced Zach Ford as Curly and Cory Goodrich, filled with charm and excellent singing skills as Laurey, Pullinsi has two amazing leads to anchor the show. Ami Silvestre's Aunt Eller,Alan Ball's Ali Hakin and Bobbie Bagby's Ado Annie each contribute excellent work to this ensemble piece. Richard Strimer's Will Parker is the lovable cowboy determined to marry Ado Annie if she can just learn to say 'no' to men. Strimer anchor's the terrific dancers with his rousing "Kansas City."

Choreographer Stacy Flasher's fabulously creative exhilarating routines add much to the texture of the show. She pays homage to Agnes de Mills' choreography while adding some clever small twist to make this Oklahoma! a pure dance show of the highest caliber. It is rare that a production of Oklahoma! has such a marvelously spellbinding final act number as the "Dream Ballet." The integration of rich lighting (by Shelly Strasser Holland) with vivid costuming (by Janice Pytel) with Flaster's wonderful ballet moves makes the "Dream Ballet" moving and quite artistic. Flaster is a talented choreographer able to recreate original work while adding polished moves to enhance established routines. She is in award territory here. She makes Oklahoma! into a marvelous dance show.

Richard Rodgers' score sounded fine with Chris Stalbaum's orchestrations. The voices are all strong and clear. From Zach Ford's charming "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' " & "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" immediately winds us over.Bobbie Bagby's funny "I'm Just A Girl Who Can't Say No" is a classic character rich song full of honesty. The hauntingly romantic duet "People Will Say We're In Love" gets Ford and Goodrich to easily hit the high notes.

Larry Adams as the villain Jud Fry hits the lower register deftly with Zach Ford in satirical "Poor Jud is Daid" duet. Adams lands his angst completely with "Lonely Room." The girls are dainty in "Out of My Dreams" which sets up the fabulous act-ending "Dream Ballet" featuring Matthew Coley and Courtney J. Hischke.

"The Farmer And the Cowman" is a bouncy barn-dance ensemble piece that moves to a toe-tapping rhythm. Ado Annie and Will Parker (Strimer & Bagby) reach agreement with "All Er Nuthin." Laurey & Curly finally get married and celebrate their nuptial with the anthem "Oklahoma" still one of the finest show tunes ever.

TheTheatre at the Center in Munster, IN should be proud of this energetic, finely crafted mounting of a truly great musical. Take a ride to see this gem and bring someone who has never seen this landmark show with you. It just may get them to appreciate the Broadway musical art from. Kudos to this worthy show.