“Oklahoma! ” is a musical based on Lynn Riggs’ play “Green Grow the Lilacs,” and is directed by Trevor Nunn. The musical is set in Oklahoma just outside of the town Clairmoore in 1906. It stars Joesfina Gabrielle as Laurey, Maureen Lipman as Aunt Eller, and Shuler Hensley as Jud Fry. This production was filmed and was broadcasted on public television in 2003. The play starts off with Curley walking into the farm of Laurey William’s singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning. ” The Box Social, a local dance including an auction of packed lunches.
Curley wants to ask Laurey but he soon finds out she is already going with Jud Fry. Laurey then goes to tell Curley that she does not love him or want to go to the box social with him, which are both lies she is just afraid to tell Jud she does not want to go with him. Curley then goes and talks to Jud and tries to convince him to hang himself. By this time Will Parker, who is promised to Ado Annie, comes back from a trip to Kansas City, but Annie has already moved on with a peddler. Annie does not know whom she loves and spends the remainder of the play going back and forth between the two men.
Laurey purchases a “magic potion from the peddler to help her think more clearly, she falls asleep and dreams about marrying Curley before it turns bad and Jud tries to kill him. Laurey has decided she wants to be with Curley, but its too late and she goes to the box social with Jud. Curley shows up to the dance with another girl, which upset Laurey. Towards the end of the night the lunches go up for auction and when it gets to Laurey’s Curley and Jud go head to head to outbid each other for Laurey.
Curley ends up selling all of his belongings but wins Laurey and they soon get married. A while after the Box Social Curley and Laurey are married and at the reception Jud shows up and him and Curley fight and Jud ends up getting stabbed, luckily there was a judge present and they found Curley not guilty. Laurey and Curley finally leave for their honeymoon. I enjoyed the play; I found it interesting and very entertaining. I was impressed with the set and liked all the props. I loved how the costumes were period appropriate and matched the set and language very well.
I felt that the actors portrayed what they were supposed to very well. Most of the songs I thought were catchy and enjoyed them thoroughly as well. Some of the musical numbers were a tad long and lost my attention. If I knew someone who was looking for a play to go see or just to watch in their free time I would definitely recommend this play to them. The plot was very well thought out and nicely written. It did an excellent job of holding onto my attention, and I did not grow bored halfway through.
