Curly (Richard White) and Laurey (Lee Merrill)
in the Sacramento Music Circus' production of Oklahoma. The show closes out
Music Circus' 47th season in Sacramento. Photo by Chris
Drew
The Music Circus has taught me one thing
over the years - expect the last show of the season to be a real crowd pleaser!
Once again the Circus didn't disappoint the audience as
Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! brought a touch of the prairie to
Sacramento, featuring a lot of song and dance, "corn as high as an elephant's eye,"
and more laughs than you could fit in a "surrey with the fringe on top." Oklahoma! will always hold a fond spot in
my heart as it was the first show I ever saw at Music Circus - way back in 1968 (or
was it '63?). Oklahoma is one of Sacramento's all-time favorites,
having played under the tent 11 times since 1954.
It's a fabulous and funny love story of two turn of the
century cowboys who are trying to win the hearts of two pretty girls.
Will Parker (Timothy Smith) is out to get Ado Annie (Jodi
Benson) - she's the girl who, "Cain't Say No," much to the dismay of Will.
And then there's Curly (Richard White), who has fallen in
love with a shy, but spirited, farm girl Laurey (Lee Merrill). She's also taken a liking to him, but both
are two stubborn to admit their feelings for each other.
Merrill, last seen in 1995's The Pirates of Penzance as Mabel, was just right to play the rather high-spirited, but sweet and shy, object of Curly's affection. She came across with the farm girl innocence to counter Curly's boastful, "I'm the best" attitude.
White has frequented the Music Circus stage several
times, including a delightful role as Hajj in Kismet last year. He is
perhaps best known, however, as the voice of Gaston in Disney's animated feature
Beauty and the Beast. In fact, Curly's boastful claims of being the best
at everything he does seem to sound a lot like the animated Gaston!
Benson, who plays Ado Annie, is also part of the Disney
animated family, last being heard as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. She is
also a Tony award nominee for Best Actress in Crazy For You.. Oklahoma! held the audience entranced
throughout. It does such a great job at developing the main characters that the crowd
quickly falls in love with them, right down to the dirty deeds of the ranch hand, Jud Fry
(Michael G. Hawkins).
Hawkins is also another Music Circus favorite, although
many probably did not recognize him in this role after playing Fred Graham/Pertruchio
in last year's Kiss Me Kate. Oklahoma! also features some of the best
songs known to theatre audiences. White's booming baritone voice was just right for
"Oh What A Beautiful Morning," and with Lee Merrill joining in, the duet of "People Will
Say We're in Love," was a delight to listen to.
Benson lent her vocal talents to "I Cain't Say No," and
dark humor crept in for White's and Hawkins' "Pore Jud is Dead."
The whole musical effort on the part of the entire cast was
as near perfect as you could get it and it won definite crowd approval at the end with
the company joining in on the title song, "Oklahoma!".
White and Merrill got a richly deserved standing ovation as
the cast came back on stage, and then much to the delight of the audience, they once
again broke into an encore performance of the title song, earning the whole cast a
standing ovation.
If there was one drawback to the entire night it was the
overly lengthy "Out of My Dreams" and "Dream Ballet" sequence that ended Act I, but
even this didn't spoil this magical opening night.
As White and Merrill were the last ones left on stage after
the second ovation, even they seemed a little in awe of the audience's warm reception
for them.
It was only a small payback for the delightful performance
they gave Sacramento.
Other notables in the cast were Teri Ralston as Aunt Eller
(Meg in Damn Yankees) and Neal Benari (Fagin in
Oliver) as the peddler Ali Hakim. Benari had some of the best scenes -
and lines - as he tried to escape the affection of Ado Annie.
Needless to say, the crowd loved everyone. Too bad it's
over for the season, but now we can look forward to the 1997-98 Broadway Series
which begins with Master Class starring Faye Dunaway Aug.
26-31. Oklahoma! runs through Aug. 24, with
performances through Saturday at 8 p.m. and a performance Sunday at 7:30pm.
Tickets are available at the Music Circus box office, 1419
H Street, (916) 557-1999, or any BASS outlet, (916) 923-BASS. Ticket prices range
$20-$38.
