oklahoma!

The Light Opera Guild has returned to its roots and will present Oklahoma!, the show credited for propelling the Guild from operetta to musical theatre. CLOG has not revived this masterpiece since 1990.

Oklahoma! was the first collaboration of the legendary team of Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers. The show set the standard for the American musical and is credited as the first fully integrated musical play that blended song, character, dance and plot - and was the model for Broadway shows for decades. A fifteen minute dream ballet at the end of Act I serves to advance the musical's plot and not just entertain.

The Broadway premiere in 1943 was a box office smash. The production helped launch many theatrical careers. Rodgers and Hammerstein were awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for Oklahoma! Award-winning Broadway revivals, national tours, international productions and innumerable regional, community and school productions have followed.

The 1955 award-winning film version starred Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones and Gene Nelson. The classic score includes Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Survey with the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We're in Love and the title song. Set in western Indian Territory just after the turn of the 20th century, the spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the backdrop for the love story between Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a beautiful farm girl. Their happiness is threatened by the sinister Jud Fry. A comedic side plot involves the triangle romance between cowboy Will Parker, peddler Ali Hakim and Ado Annie Carnes. As the road to romance and statehood converge, Curly and Laurey are prepared to spend their new life together in a brand new state O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A, Oklahoma!

AVAILABLE ROLES

Curly McLain - handsome cowboy in love with Laurey; baritone

Laurey Williams - independent young woman; Aunt Eller's niece; soprano

Ado Annie Carnes - a flirtatious and gullible young woman; mezzo-soprano

Will Parker - a simple young cowboy in love with Ado Annie; tenor; must move well, dances

Aunt Eller - respected community leader; Laurey's aunt; mezzo-soprano

Jud Fry - hired hand on Aunt Eller's ranch; baritone

Ali Hakim - a Persian peddler enamored with Ado Annie; baritone

Andrew Carnes - Ado Annie's father; eager to have her marry; comedic role; sings

Gertie Cummings - local farm girl; fond of Curly; married Ali Hakim; spoken role

Dream Laurey - replaces actress in dream ballet

Dream Curly - replaces actor in dream ballet

Dream Jud - replaces actor in dream ballet

Featured roles - Cord Elam; Ike Skidmore; Slim; Ellen; Kate; Vivian

Large Male & Female Ensemble - singers of varied ranges

Dancers - hoofing cowboys plus trained ballet dancers