Friday, July 11, 2008

Drumroll please...

And next year's musical will be....Oklahoma!

Plot summary
Act I
Curly McLain, a cowboy, is in love with Laurey Williams, a farm girl, but they both are too proud and stubborn to show it. A rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys over fences and water rights leads to tension, even in romance. Curly looks forward to the beautiful day ahead as he wanders into Laurey's yard ("Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'"). He and Laurey tease each other, while Laurey's Aunt Eller looks on. There will be a box social dance that night, which includes an auction of lunch baskets prepared by the local girls (to raise funds for a schoolhouse). Curly asks Laurey to be his partner, but she refuses. He attempts to persuade her by telling her that he will take her in the finest carriage money can buy ("The Surrey With The Fringe On Top"), but it turns out that he made it up, and Laurey storms away.
The sinister and dark-hearted outsider, farm hand Jud Fry, appears. He also sets his sights on Laurey and asks her to the dance. She accepts to spite Curly, despite being afraid of Jud. Meanwhile, cowboy Will Parker returns bedazzled and souvenir-laden from a trip to modern "Kansas City". But he is upset that his girlfriend, Ado Annie, invites romancing from other men ("I Cain't Say No"). While he has been away, she has been spending a lot of time with Ali Hakim, a Persian peddler, who appreciates her passion but doesn't want to get married ("It's a Scandal! It's an Outrage!"), for that would put an end to his travelling life.
Curly discovers that Laurey is going to the box social with Jud and tries to convince her to go with him instead. Afraid to tell Jud she won't go with him, Laurey playfully warns Curly off ("People Will Say We're In Love"). Hurt by her refusal, Curly goes to the smokehouse where his rival lives, and the two indulge in idle banter about Jud's reputation ("Pore Jud Is Daid"). Their talk turns into an ominous confrontation, punctuated by alarming but harmless gunplay. Once Curly departs, Jud's resolve to win Laurey becomes even stronger – he is tired of being on his own ("Lonely Room"). Confused and fraught by her feelings for Curly and her fear of Jud, Laurey muses ("Out of My Dreams"), then falls asleep, dreaming ("Dream Ballet") of what marriage to Curly would be like. Her dream takes a nightmarish turn when Jud replaces Curly, and she cannot escape him. The dream makes her realize that Curly is the right man for her, but it is far too late to change her mind about going to the dance with Jud; they leave for the box social.
Act II
At the social, the farmers and ranchers meet. Both sides state the merits of their way of life, while Aunt Eller tries – and eventually succeeds – in getting them to make peace ("The Farmer and The Cowman"). The auction starts out frivolously, but becomes much more serious when Laurey's basket comes up for auction. Curly is so determined to outbid Jud that he sells his prized possessions: his saddle, his horse, and even his gun. It is made apparent to all watching, that the rivals are fighting not for the basket, but for Laurey herself. Will bids 50 dollars on Ado Annie's basket in hopes of getting her for a wife. (Ado Annie's father said that if Will ever got $50 he could marry her.) But Will realizes that by bidding the $50, he no longer has the money to "purchase" Ado Annie. Desperate to be rid of Ado Annie, the peddler bids $51 dollars, and gets the basket, and Will claims Ado Annie as his prize. Later that night, the couple work out their differences ("All Or Nothin'"). Jud confronts Laurey about his feelings for her. When she admits that she doesn't return them, he threatens her. She then fires him as her farm hand, screaming at him to get off of her property. Furious, Jud threatens Laurey before he departs. Laurie bursts into tears and calls for Curly, and when he arrives, she bravely recounts her final encounter with Jud, including the fact that she wants no more to do with him. Curly is so happy that he proposes to her, and she accepts ("People Will Say We're In Love (Reprise)").
Three weeks later, a drunken Jud reappears the morning after Curly and Laurey's wedding. He attacks Curly and in the ensuing confrontation accidentally falls on his own knife, killing himself. At Aunt Eller's urging, the wedding guests hold a makeshift trial for Curly. The judge, Ado Annie's father, declares the verdict "not guilty!" and everyone rejoices ("Oklahoma!") in celebration of the territory's impending statehood. After more rejoicing, Curly and Laurey depart on their honeymoon.

[edit] Musical numbers
Act I
Overture - Orchestra
Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' - Curly
Laurey's Entrance - Laurey & Curly
The Surrey With the Fringe On Top - Curly, Laurey, & Aunt Eller
Kansas City - Will, Aunt Eller, Male Ensemble
I Cain't Say No - Ado Annie
Entrance of Ensemble (Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' and I Cain't Say No) - Will, Ado Annie, Curley, Aunt Eller, Ensemble
Many a New Day - Laurey and Girl ensemble
It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage! - Ali Hakim and Ensemble
People Will Say We're In Love - Curly and Laurey
Pore Jud is Daid - Curly and Jud Fry
Lonely Room - Jud
Out of My Dreams/Dream Ballet - Laurey and Dream Figures
Act II
Entr'acte - Orchestra
The Farmer and the Cowman - Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, Curly, Gertie Cummins, Will Parker, Ado Annie Carnes, Laurey, Ike Skidmore and Ensemble
All Er Nuthin' - Will and Ado Annie
People Will Say We're In Love (Reprise) - Curly and Laurey
Oklahoma - Curly, Laurey, Aunt Eller and Ensemble
Finale Ultimo (Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' and People Will Say We're in Love) - Company

1 comment:

Beth said...

thanks for posting!!! I'd better head to the library to check out the cd.