The June reprise not necessary to the action.
But I wonder if R&H, at the time, still figured that ending with at least some bit of a chorus number was wise/expected. Oklahoma had the big ballet, so while nothing was sung at the end of the act, I suppose that still qualifies having the act end "big." Allegro ends Act I with the big choral wedding scene. It took until South Pacific for them to attempt a curtain ending with just a reprise of a solo. (Though, the year before, they had produced Annie Get Your Gun, where Act I ends with Annie reprising a bit of "You Can't Gte A Man With A Gun" by herself.)
Just observing that IF there is a real progression there, it's interesting. |
