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An Oklahoma territory, combined with two theatrical acts full of singing, dancing and bonding: The Firehouse Theatre is performing their rendition of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” from June 26 to July 13, bringing a compelling performance full of passion well worth seeing.
Taking place in 1906, “Oklahoma!” follows the love stories between the charming Curly McLain (Cooper Powell) and independent Laurey Williams (Hannah Lovato-Swaim), Will Parker (Evan Christopher Arnold) and Ado Annie (Makenna Ostrom), as well as explores the people around them.
As someone who had very little knowledge of “Oklahoma!” prior to watching the play – and who had never been to The Firehouse Theatre – I went in with very little idea of what to expect. However, from the moment that the curtains were pulled back and Powell began singing his opening number of “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin,’” I was immediately brought into the story. It wasn’t just Powell’s singing, though – the whole cast sang beautifully, whether it was individually or singing together in a large group. Additionally, the dances that accompanied the songs, from a square dance and two-step to ballet, provided a fun and entertaining performance, erupting rounds of applause from the crowd at the end of the scenes.
In contrast to the overall phenomenal musical performances, my only critique of this is that it was occasionally difficult to hear the cast members in terms of singing and dialogue. This wasn’t a huge issue throughout, but I had a few moments of momentarily wondering what a character had just said – and I heard a couple people around me whisper the same question to the person they came with. My only guess for why there may have been a few moments of difficulty hearing the cast is either from a lack of projection during the dialogue and/or the mics not matching up with the volume of the music playing when the characters are meant to be singing.
Aside from this qualm with the production, another point of admiration I had is how entrancing the lighting of “Oklahoma!” was. From soft, pink/colorful lighting to signify one of Laurey’s dream sequences, red to emphasize moments of helplessness and danger and blue for a somber mood, as well as the usage of spotlights on the characters to make the scenes feel more intimate. The lighting was by far my favorite part of the production, as I could not stop admiring how perfect each choice matched up with the story.
In tandem with the beautiful use of lighting, the cast brought a performance of “Oklahoma!” full of passion – whether they were displaying anger, fear or love – and humor. The chemistry between Curly and Laurey was palpable, just as intended, with Powell and Lovato-Swaim utilizing their facial expressions and body language to convey the feelings in between the scripted dialogue. My only knowledge prior to watching the play was that it was a love story in the Oklahoma territory, and in all honesty, I was worried that I wouldn’t find the love between the two to be believable or compatible – but much to my delight, I was wrong.
The journey of the play successfully built up tension as to what would happen next, making “Oklahoma!” a thrilling experience. However, I felt like the ending was rushed in comparison to how much depth and groundwork the rest of the play laid out. A huge plot point happened, only for it to be quickly swept under the rug and for everything to go back to normal – and while I do realize that this may simply be how the storyline has always been, I was slightly thrown off as a first-time viewer of “Oklahoma!”
While I do wish that the ending had a bit more to it, the cast as a whole brought together a believable and multi-faceted story full of, not only love and community, but darker themes of identity, sexual violence, jealousy and class conflict. The Firehouse Theatre’s performance of “Oklahoma!” showcases striking dance and musical performances, a script full of equal humor and tension, as well as an excellent cast bringing the characters to life. It was well worth taking time out of my day to watch the production, and I would give the show an 8/10. With two more weekends left – from Thursdays to Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and a 7 p.m. show on July 6 to accommodate no shows on July 4 – those interested in purchasing a ticket to the production can refer to thefirehousetheatre.com.
