Reviewed by Sam Morishima/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
George Merrick as Curly and Sarah Uriarte Berry as in the Music Circus production of OKLAHOMA! playing through Aug. 1 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. Photo by: Steve Kolb.
If you get a chance to see OKLAHOMA! at the Music Circus -- running from July 27 to Aug. 1 -- you will be treated to a feast. As one audience member said at the end of the performance, "Everything about it is so Good!
The show's opening draws you toward Aunt Eller (Lucinda Hitchcock Cone) who reminds me of a calm version of granny on the Beverly Hillbilly show. She is hard bitten by the harsh environment of her times but wise in the ways of life as she churns butter in front of her farm house, as Cowpoke Curly McClain (George Merrick) sings off stage "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'." He strolls -- or rather moseys -- in through the front gate. Right then, you are captivated by the quality of the singing and the two interactions of the characters as they skirt around the real intentions of why Curly is there.
The musical consists of a double love triangle with the main one between the love struck Cowboy Curly who strikes out each time he courts the tough but kind hearted farm owner Laurey (Sarah Uriarte Berry) and to further complicate matters, Laurey involves Jud Fry (Rob Gallagher) a serious and mysterious hired hand who mistakes her kindness for love.
The second love triangle affair is a light hearted comical one between a "more brawns than brains" cowboy, Will Parker (John Scherer), a flirtatious farmer's daughter Ado Annie (Jennifer Cody) and the "live for the moment" exotic traveling peddler Ali Hakim (Jason Graae).
The love affairs are set in the pioneering Oklahoma Territory as it forges toward statehood where conflicts between cattle ranchers and farmers plagued their daily lives.
OKLAHOMA! for you history buffs is the first collaboration between Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II who are better known as Rogers and Hammerstein, writers of THE SOUND OF MUSIC and SOUTH PACIFIC. OKLAHOMA! is considered a landmark play by many as the first musical play that successfully integrated music, lyrics and dance and spurred on other musicals such as CINDERELLA, THE KING AND I and THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
The musical is based on a play GREEN GROWS THE LILACS by Lynn Riggs where Hammerstein once wrote, "GREEN GROWS THE LILACS had a strange combination of qualities -- lusty melodrama, authentic folk characters and a sensitive lyric quality pervading the whole story. I feel that in some measure we were able to preserve these values in the musical version and they comprise a very important contribution to its success. Lynn Riggs and GREEN GROWS THE LILACS are the very soul of OKLAHOMA!.
Why was this production so good? First because of how in-character the actors and actresses are. Not only did they look the part but also did a wonderful job of making them come alive. Each character stood on its own merit adding to the synergy of the musical with their role interpretation. Ado Annie played an incurable romantic, highly energetic, love struck girl who falls in love at a drop of a sweet word.
Jud Fry was dark, brooding, and frightening with his massive height and sullenness with a wonderful voice that foretold doom.
And the others: Ali Hakim whose financial and personal profit seeking schemes always landed him deeper into trouble. Will Parker's pursuit to keep hold of his $50 in order to win Ado Annie's father's blessing becomes as slippery as holding onto a wet bar of soap. Curly and Laurey's relationship becomes more complex as they let their pride get in the way while they try to untangle their true feelings toward each other.
Laurey realizes her mistake in a dream ballet that turns into a nightmare. The ballet, as in the original musical production, is played by other actors; Laurey (Lisa Gillespie), Curly (Jared Nelson) and Jud (Richard Bulda). The choreography of the ballet captured the dream scene beautifully and intensified the nightmarish reality that was unfolding between Laurey and Curly. Throughout the show, the dancing melted seamlessly into the plot carrying the audience smoothly along the storyline with exciting ho downs, fighting, horse riding and rodeo antics.
This production of OKLAHOMA! as in the original production still brings the message alive that difficulties are all around us, but we can get through them as Aunt Eller's sage advice says, "Oh, lots of things happen to folks sickness or bein' poor and hungry even -- bein' old and afeard to die. That's the way it is -- cradle to grave. And you can stand it. There's one way. You gotta be hearty...You cain't deserve the sweet and tender things in life less'n you're tough."
So, come on down and receive an "Oklahoma Hello" by Will Parker and at the end a special "Persian Goodbye" by Ali Hakim. In OKLAHOMA! you won't find any misunderstandings because, "He just explained it just right!"
OKLAHOMA! will be performing at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, located on the corner of 15th and H streets. Performances will take place through Aug. 1, with show times Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7:30 p.m., and matinee performances Thursday and Saturday at 2 p.m.
Single show tickets are priced from $32 to $47, on sale at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office, 1419 H Street, or by phone at (916) 557-1999. Tickets can also be purchased from Tickets.com at (916) 766-2277.
For more information on the Music Circus, visit CaliforniaMusicalTheatre.com.
