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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Oklahoma!
Also see Gil's reviews of Charlotte's Web, Equivocation and Kiss Me, Kate
When Oklahoma! opened in 1943, it was ground breaking, not only because of how Rodgers and Hammerstein used the combination of songs and dance as extensions of the characters and the dialogue to further the plot, but also because of how successful the show was, running five years and setting a record at that time. (In 1927, Show Boat might have been the first Broadway musical to combine songs with character and dialogue but it only originally ran for a little over a year.) It is hard to imagine now, with sung-through musicals like Les Misérables that have had long runs and others like The Phantom of the Opera that run for over twenty years, but before Oklahoma! the majority of musicals had songs that were stand alone and didn't organically grow out of the story and none of them ever ran for such a long time. With so much history behind this musical, it is nice to see how powerful it still is and to experience it in such a wonderful intimate production that the Hale Centre Theatre is presenting. The lovely theatre in the round venue at Hale Centre uses painted cornfields, windmills and fences that surround the audience and the front of a wood farmhouse set in one corner to make us feel like we are right in the middle of the Oklahoma plains. The cast is very good and excel not only in their delivery of the excellent Hammerstein dialogue but also in the vocal requirements of the lush score. The elaborate and lengthy act one ending "dream ballet," which was groundbreaking back in 1943 and portrays Laurey's idea of the nightmare that might happen if she ends up with the rough Jud, is nicely danced by the talented cast. And, unlike some productions that use more experienced dancers as the Dream Laurey and Dream Curly, this production uses the same actors throughout the show, including in the dream sequence. As Curly and Laurey, who are both too pig headed to admit that they really love each other, Bryan Stewart and Rebecca Bryce are appropriately headstrong and feisty. They are engaging actors who hold your attention with terrific energy. Both performers, through the use of adept facial expressions and body language, provide nuances in keeping with the detailed character intricacies of Hammerstein's book. They also both sing like birds, with simply lovely voices. Ben Mason's portrayal of Jud Fry is less creepy and foreboding than I've seen in other productions, making him more of a misunderstood individual, but he still gets across the gruff and sullen character who wants Laurey so much that he'll do just about anything to get her, even if it means killing Curly. The secondary characters are mainly around for comic relief, yet Hilary Hirsch manages to make Laurey's Aunt Eller a tough and spunky lady who is fierce and fearless but also sweet and caring. Hirsch's line readings and musical abilities are in perfect match to the spirited character. Kate E. Cook is appropriately brassy and undecided as flirty Ado Annie, the girl "who can't say no" when it comes to deciding which boy to love. She has perfect comedic facial expressions that add to Annie's flighty nature as well as a soaring voice that she uses to great humorous effect in her songs. Skyler Bean's Will Parker, one of Ado Annie's beaus, is a simple man and Bean does a nice job in showing us the fun-loving side of this cowboy. As Ado Annie's other intended, the con artist Ali Hakim, Jack Pauly adds a nice amount of humor to the show. Director Allan Dietlein skillfully manages the demands of the show and gets excellent performances out of each of his actors. Choreographer Laurie Trygg provides some excellent dance steps, including a nice two-stepping line dance for Will's act one "Kansas City" and a rousing full company number for the second act opener, "The Farmer and the Cowman." Her "Dream Ballet" is nicely staged as well. Mary Atkinson's costumes are simply perfect, with colorful cotton dresses for the women and period appropriate cowboy gear for the men. While the sets are minimal, Adam DeVaney's set design effectively uses several period perfect prop pieces, including a butter churn, saddles and a nice tattered chair for Jud, as well as a simple yet effective cut-out smokehouse set piece for Jud Fry's living quarters. Jeff A. Davis' lighting has a nice balance between bright white and yellow for the "hot" Oklahoma days and cool blues and greens for the nights. Oklahoma! is a classic musical and one with many excellent moments. The intimacy of the Hale Theatre allows the emotions of the characters to come through strongly. With excellent leads, perfect direction, and the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, I urge everyone to see the fantastic production that this ground breaking musical is receiving at The Hale Centre Theatre. The Hale Centre Theatre production of Oklahoma! runs through March 29, 2014, with performances at 50 W. Page Avenue in Gilbert. Tickets can be ordered at www.haletheatrearizona.com or by calling (480) 497-1181. Director: Allan Dietlein Cast:
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