Hard Road Theatre Productions and Staunton Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in association with the Highland Arts Council are proud to present the 2018 Summer Production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Performances are July 27th & 28th and August 3rd & 4th at 7:30 p.m. and July 29th and August 5th at 2:00 p.m.
This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Oklahoma! The show first opened on Broadway in March 1943 and ran for more than 2,200 performances. It is one of the most performed musicals of all time. The Broadway show was adapted into a movie in 1955.
This summer’s production is brought to you by an experienced production team headed by director Mike Huelsmann of Breese. He is joined by David Wilton of Carlyle as the music director and Christine Taylor of Highland is the choreographer. The cast is headed by Hard Road veterans Eric Sykes, Lynne Huelsmann, Tim Albaugh, & Westin Holzinger. They are joined by newcomers to the Hard Road stage Olivia Bosaw & Hannah Wudtke. There are 26 total members of the cast.
Oklahoma! is based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. It is the first collaboration between the two writers, Rodgers and Hammerstein. The duo later created some of the most famous and well received musicals in the history of the Broadway stage. The story is set in the territory of Oklahoma near the town of Claremore in 1906.
The spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the backdrop for the love story between Curly, a handsome though shy ranch hand, and Laurey, a beautiful farm girl. Will Parker, Ado Annie Carnes, and Alli Hakim in a love triangle provide much of the comic relief. Add in Judd Frey, the not so reputable hired hand who has his eyes set on Laurey, as the villain and you have one rip-roaring story.
This production will include all of the musical song and dance numbers written for the show, many of which get cut in high school and community theater productions. These include, the tap dance number, “Kansas City,” the ballet style numbers of “Many a New Day” and “The Dream Sequence,” and Jud’s song, “Lonely Room.”
Tickets are $11 for children (ages 4-12) and seniors and $12 for everyone else. Tickets can be purchased online at the Hard Road website (hardroad.org). Physical tickets can be purchased at the Highland Chamber of Commerce Office or at the door.
Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing Highland and the surrounding area with high-quality, affordable, live theatre productions.