At a 1942 pre-Broadway performance of Oklahoma! in New Haven, Broadway producer Mike Todd walked out at the Intermission and famously quipped: “No girls. No gags, No chance.” Yes, Oklahoma! does not feature the chorus line of dancing girls most musicals of that time had in abundance. It has some humor, but much of it is dark. Needless to say, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and changed the history of musical theater.
Diane and I donned our N95 masks and went to see this “new” version of Oklahoma! at the Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Director Daniel Fish “reimagines” Oklahoma! with a racially diverse cast, a stripped down bluegrass band instead of an orchestra, and a focus on brooding farmhand, Jud Fry, who is obsessed with his employer, farm girl Laurey.
After we watched this musical version of Oklahoma! on the stage, Diane and I decided to go back and watch the 1955 movie version with Shirley Jones (her first major role) as Lauren and Gordon MacRae as Curly, the cowboy who loves her. Rod Steiger plays the obsessed farmhand, Jud Fry. Disney+ offered Oklahoma! in brilliant color and excellent sound. The movie version contains the dark elements that the “reimagined” play version accentuates, but the focus is on the young couples and romance instead of the obsessive, creepy Jud Fry. Diane and I both prefer the movie version. Do you like Oklahoma!?
MUSICAL GRADE: C–
MOVIE VERSION: B+
Musical numbers:
- “Overture” – Orchestra (played before the film actually begins)
- “Main Title” – Orchestra (played over the opening credits)
- “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” – Curly
- “Laurey’s Entrance” – Laurey (“Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’“)
- “The Surrey With the Fringe On Top” – Curly
- “The Surrey With the Fringe On Top (Reprise)” – Curly
- “Kansas City” – Will, Aunt Eller, Male Ensemble
- “I Cain’t Say No” – Ado Annie
- “I Cain’t Say No” (reprise) – Will and Ado Annie
- “Entrance of Ensemble” (“Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’“) – Curly, Gertie, and Ensemble
- “Many a New Day” – Laurey and Female Ensemble
- “People Will Say We’re In Love” – Curly and Laurey
- “Pore Jud Is Daid” – Curly and Jud
- “Out of My Dreams” – Laurey and Female Ensemble
- “Dream Ballet” – Ensemble
- “Entr’acte” – Orchestra
- “The Farmer and the Cowman” – Carnes, Aunt Eller, Ike Skidmore, Ensemble
- “All Er Nuthin’” – Will and Ado Annie
- “People Will Say We’re In Love (Reprise)” – Curly and Laurey
- “Oklahoma” – Curly and Ensemble
- “Finale Ultimo” (“Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'”) – Ensemble
- “Exit Music” – Orchestra
No.
Don’t think I’ve ever seen it but I don’t like musicals, so no.
Michael, you and Steve seem to be on the same page with OKLAHOMA!
I enjoy it, both the play and the movie. But for something once so ground-breaking, it’s a little bit staid these days.
Jerry, you’re right again! What was ground-breaking in 1943 seems rather middle-of-the-road today.
The movie has its moments but it certainly doesn’t have the currency it once had. A bluegrass version sounds awful. Musicals, especially Rogers and Hammerstein, really need the big orchestra effect (and no, I’m not a fan of rock musicals).
Byron, the stripped down bluegrass band may have been an economy move–costs less than an orchestra. Diane and Katie saw OKLAHOMA! in the round on Broadway a couple years ago. You might remember Ali Stroker, a 32-year-old American actress and singer, best known for being the first wheelchair user to perform on Broadway and win a Tony award for her performance in Oklahoma!.
Just saw Ali Stoker in an episode of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING last night (on Hulu). We did not see this new production (the reviews made it seem much like your review), but otherwise, we do like the show. We saw Hugh Jackman as Curly in the 1998 National Theatre revival in London, with Shuler Hensley also excellent as a brooding Jud Fry and Maureen Lipman as Aunt Eller. (I don’t really remember the Laurey.)
We like the Shirley Jones movie version (she was only 20 at the time). I’ve always loved Gloria Grahame, even though she was kind of miscast here as Ado Annie.
Jeff, Broadway veteran Barbara Walsh played a youngish Aunt Eller in the play we saw at Shea’s. I’m fond of Gloria Grahame. She did a great job in that cat fight with Gertie Cummings! And OKLAHOMA! was the first play Rodgers and Hammerstein worked on together!
“Poor Jud” is — without a doubt and beyond all serious discussion — the greatest song ever written.
Dan, Jud’s sad solo in the play, “Lonely Room,” did not make it into the 1955 movie version.
I really enjoy Oklahoma. That is what got me to be a big fan of Hugh Jackman (seeing him on PBS in a UK production of it). It might not be as relevant today, but I love the music, but then I love a lot of music.
Thanks to your lead, George, I went to my local library and scored some good cds for 25c. each. The best was the best of Lynard Skynard ( gimme 3 steps is on repeat for several times each time the cd plays thru)
Maggie, I’m constantly astounded at the number of quality music CDs that show up at Library Sales and thrift stores. And, they sell for a pittance! Sound like you scored Big Time! Diane, Diane’s sister Carol, and Katie have tickets to THE MUSIC MAN on Broadway in April. Hugh Jackman is the big attraction!
We have tickets for early August.
In my experience, “reimaginings” rarely equal or exceed the source material, especially with “new creative approach” and updated sensibilities such as gender and role changes to make things “woke”.
I like just about all Rogers & Hammerstein, including Oklahoma, and I like that ‘55 film.
Rick, I thought the Disney+ version was bright and sharp! It popped off the screen!
Oklahoma is one of our favorite movies, although we haven’t watched it in a while. Glen has always had a thing for Shirley Jones, and I like the music. She is also very good in The Music Man, which we watch more often.
I did not realize that Gloria Grahame played the role of Ado Annie. You learn something new everyday.
Tracy, many of the commentators on this blog know an incredible amount about movies, books, music, etc. I learn something new from them every day.
The Music Man? Ugh. If I never her 76 Trombones again it will be too soon. Right up there with Tomorrow Candy Man as most irritating song ever.
Steve, you and I share similar attitudes toward “76 Trombones,””Tomorrow,” and “Candy Man.”
My parents had a genuine music album of Oklahoma! The records were 33 rpm and each one had one song per side! They came in a hardcover album like a photo album with 10 or more sleeves inside!
The movie/play had some good songs but overall it didn’t hold my interest! The new PC version sounds like crap!
Bob, several people walked out of the OKLAHOMA! performance we attended. And, as the cast sang the finale “Oklahoma!”song, dozens of people got up and stormed down the aisles to leave. I thought that was rude.
Tomorrow and Candyman.
Hm. Well, I have seen a television ad for the local staging of this production of OK! and I liked the sound, being a bluegrass fan, but I wonder if it comes across as a bit thin in actual performance. OKLAHOMA was one of the first adult-oriented musicals I sat through as a young child, the Shirley Jones film, along with SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, and they left me pro-musical in a way that most children’s musicals did not. THE MUSIC MAN was less good, but I don’t hate “76 Trombones”…will thoroughly agree with condemnation of “Tomorrow” and “The Candy Man” (Newly is an almost uniformly dislikable anti-talent…I think Nina Simone helped “Feelin’ Good” enormously, and nearly everyone rips off the orchestration of her version since).
Todd, Diane and Katie saw this new version of OKLAHOMA! on Broadway a couple years ago. It was presented in-the-round. When performed on Shea’s Performing Arts Center huge stage, the production looked thin indeed.