This past weekend I had the opportunity to see Pittsburgh CLO’s Oklahoma!. You may be familiar with the current production on Broadway that recently won Best Revival at the Tony Awards. The revival is set in modern day time and reflects the current state of our country. The CLO takes on the “classic” production however, which is the more wildly known version of the musical. So while the CLO’s production may not be as dark or as gritty as the revival, they still make Oklahoma! an enjoyable experience and manage to bring new life to the quintessential American musical.
So my Musical Theater Nerd Card may be taken away for this, but up until last Friday I had never seen Oklahoma! before. Shocking, I know. I had always been familiar with the music, but had never actually seen a production of the show. All I knew going in was that it has a reputation of being a little kitschy, and being “that show” where people groan or roll their eyes at the mere mention of it. So knowing that, I went into the show a little unsure of what I would find.
What first struck me about the production was the set, designed by Michael Schweikardt. When you walk into the theater, there is a large map of Oklahoma covering the stage. The map rises when the show begins, and you’re met with a farm house and a wind pump. I heard the man next me whisper, “that’s a really good set design” to his neighbor. He took the words right out of my mouth. You could tell there was a lot of work put into it, even for a relatively simple set. Another set piece that stood out to me was the smokehouse near the end of the first act. The way it’s designed makes it feel menacing, dark, and lonely, which fits the character who lives there.
I enjoyed the cast of Oklahoma! thoroughly, and thought the cast brought a ton of fun and energy to the production. A standout to me was Curly, played by Nicholas Rodriguez. He is especially charming as the male lead of the show, and captures you from the get go with his deep, rich voice. Ruth Gottschall, who plays Aunt Eller, was such a delight to watch on stage. She brings tons of sass to the character, and had the audience laughing on many occasions. I honestly wouldn’t have minded if the entire show was about Aunt Eller. Ashley Blanchett was adorable and charming as Ado Annie. It’s easy to want to compare her to Ali Stroker, who recently won a Tony for her portrayal in the revival, but Blanchett brings her own charm to the character and ends up being a bright light in the production. I also enjoyed Matt Faucher as Jud Fry. As dark as the character can be, Faucher brings very real emotions to the character that make you sympathize with him. His rendition of “Lonely Room” makes you feel how sad, alone, and ostracized Jud is. With that being said, Jud is not a character you root for by any means. I was genuinely creeped out and on edge anytime he was on stage because I kept waiting for something terrible to happen. With Jud especially you could see how the revival could take the darkness of the show and amplify it tenfold.
Mark Esposito’s choreography for Oklahoma! made the show fun and vibrant. “Kansas City,” “The Farmer and the Cowmen,” and of course the title song, “Oklahom!” are enjoyable to watch, and showcase the talent of the company. One of the best sequences of the show has to be “Out of My Dreams – Ballet.” It is beautifully staged and choreographed, and was stunning to watch as an audience member. The main dancers of the dream sequence, Allison Walsh and Blake Zelesnikar, were phenomenal in portraying the emotions along with the movements of the piece. It was such a wonderful and chilling way to end the first act, and definitely my favorite part of the show.
The only issue I had with the show was the pacing. The first act seemed to drag on for quite awhile. I think it clocked in at being around an hour and a half, whereas the second act stood at about forty-five minutes. This may have everything to do with the show itself and nothing to do with this particular production, but regardless it was an extremely slow moving show.
After finally witnessing the show for myself, I can understand why Oklahoma! has the reputation it does. It looks back on the past with rose-colored glasses, and shrugs it shoulders and says, “that’s the South for yah.” There are definitely some aspects of the show that did not age well, and I can understand how the revival could address these issues in a different way and bring a new light to them. With that being said, even with its flaws it’s still an enjoyable piece of musical theater. Yes, the songs are a little cheesy and cutesy at times, but that’s part of the fun.
If you’re in the mood for a classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, presented by an amazing cast and stellar crew, check out Pittsburgh CLO’s production of Oklahoma!.
Oklahoma! plays at the Benedum Center through June 30. For tickets and more, visit CLO’s site.
Jade Goodes is a graduate of Penn State University where she received her degree in English. While attending Penn State she became the Managing Editor for the school’s literary & arts magazine, Absence. Jade has been involved with the Pittsburgh theater community since elementary school, and has performed in many productions over the years. In her free time she enjoys reading and attending all the concerts she can.
Categories: Archived Reviews