By Dale King
If you’ve never ridden in a surrey with a fringe on top; if you’ve never viewed a sunrise and declared, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” or if you’ve never bought a picnic lunch at auction to share with the lovely young lady who filled it with luscious goodies, then you’ve never enjoyed the wonderful music, rousing dance numbers and varied plot lines of the musical Oklahoma!
An exceptionally entertaining, tune-filled performance of the show that heralds the entry of Oklahoma as America’s 46th state is now pleasing audiences and earning standing ovations at Lake Worth Playhouse.
Director James Skiba (who also designed the set) has corralled a bevy of performers with superb stage skills to recreate the first show produced jointly by the soon-to-be-famous pair of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II. Oklahoma!, which premiered in 1943, not only coupled two of the finest musical talents ever to fashion a stage show, it ignited development of the “book musical,” a tune-filled production that integrates songs and dances into the overall tale.
This show epitomizes that motif as it includes virtually all those elements: budding relationships, humor, internal conflicts and good old-fashioned fun. The cast comes equipped with strong acting, vocal and dancing skills and vibrant storytelling ability. Choreographer Brittany Jenkins keeps the footwork in order — particularly the lovely Act I finale, “Dream Sequence” — while musical director Ed Kolcz makes sure the vocalists are right on key.
One thing is certain — Oklahoma! has a lot of songs that move the action along. The unforgettable score includes: “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” “Many a New Day” and the powerful, patriotic title tune, “Oklahoma.”
Set in 1906 — the year before the Oklahoma territory gained statehood — the production centers on settlers in a cattle and farming town as the region prepares to join the USA. But romantic counters are still on the front burner.
The main plot focuses on a couple of country courtships that seem to gain steam throughout the show, despite bumps along the romance road.
Laurey Williams (Eliza Shillieto), a lovely farmgirl who lives with her Aunt Eller (Pam Hankerson), a pillar of the community and an exceptionally talented actress, has a couple of rival paramours — the confident, handsome cowboy Curly McLain (Collin Salvatore) and the sinister, social-misfit farmhand Jud Fry (Cameron Pomeroy), who lives in the smokehouse and displays a fondness for guns, knives and risqué posters.
The show opens with Curly’s powerfully voiced rendition of “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” as he prepares to ask Laurey to accompany him to the box social dance. But she refuses. While she seems fond of him, she feels he waited too long to ask.
To persuade her, he promises in another song to transport her in “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” She scoffs at the boast and says Jud Fry will take her.
Hurt by her refusal, Curly confronts the burly farm worker in his smokehouse abode. Their talk turns into an ominous conflict about Laurey. After Curly leaves, Jud’s resolve to win her strengthens, and he vows loudly to make her his bride with a song, “Lonely Room,” which he sings with strength and bravado.
The other romance involves Laurey’s friend, Ado Annie, who is juggling several “fellers” — mainly cowboy Will Parker (Kole Rosin), her true love, and wealthy peddler, Ali Hakim (Matthew Schenk). Annie, playfully portrayed by Lili Mueller, is a light-hearted, happy-go-lucky lady who adds sparkling comic relief. She admits to a personal weakness: she can’t fend off romantic advances of male suitors. (“I Cain’t Say No”).
Annie has been flirting with Hakim, but he’s not interested in marriage. Eventually, he makes a deal with Will Parker and breaks away. But he returns in a surprising appearance in the finale.
The show runs more than 2 ½ hours, and at the end, the cast fills the stage and regales the audience with a powerhouse version of the show’s title song. Chancea are you won’t forget this delightful production anytime soon.
Oklahoma! plays through Feb. 4 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 561-586-6410 or visiting www.lakeworthplayhouse.org.