review for oklahoma
Town Theatre’s ‘Oklahoma!’ good but not great
By LARRY HEMBREE
Special to The State
Town Theatre’s final production of the season, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!,” opened Friday night with a large windmill, lots of dancing cowboys and that famous title song. While a monumental effort, the show sported both high and lows.
“Oklahoma!,’’ while entertaining, is a risk to present because of its reputation in the annals of musical theater history as a standard for the big American musical.
This production is successful in some respects: the look in the costumes and set is just right, and the score is realized very well vocally. However, the overall production lacks the spark that lets us know we are watching a blockbuster.
Director Scott Blanks does a great service in the 2 hour, 45 minute show of letting it unfold traditionally. He adds no bells or whistles that make it any more or less than it is. The show is well rehearsed, and the pace is fine. What is lacking, however, is the larger-than-life magic that transports the audience into another place and time.
Overall, the cast is competent. Mary Katherine Lawson (Laury) is quite an amazing actress with a nice voice, but not a leading soprano. Likewise, Paul Kaufmann is handsome enough as Curly, but lacks the charisma to pull off the leading-man persona that the role demands.
More notable are the performances of Shannon Willis Scruggs as Ado Annie and Kevin Bush as Will Parker. These two click as a couple and show a great understanding of comic timing with great vocal interpretation.
Most successful in the production are Kathy Hartzog as Aunt Eller and Scott Stepp as Jud Fry. Hartzog pushes the show along with her usual smart brand of humor. Stepp captures both the scary and pathetic nature of Jud. His rendition of “Lonely Room” is the highlight of the show.
Houston McMillan, in the smaller role of Andrew Carnes, is perfect.
Musical director Christopher Cockrell does a fine job with blends and dynamics. His small chorus serves him well.
Anita Ashley’s choreography is effective with the famous Dream Ballet, perfectly executed and trimmed to just the right length.
The six-piece band performs well. The three electronic keyboards, while adding a tremendous amount of depth to the score, often sound too tinny and almost carnival like. An acoustic piano sound would be welcomed in the pit.
“Oklahoma!” runs through May 28.
Larry Hembree has an MFA in Directing from the University of Georgia.
By LARRY HEMBREE
Special to The State
Town Theatre’s final production of the season, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!,” opened Friday night with a large windmill, lots of dancing cowboys and that famous title song. While a monumental effort, the show sported both high and lows.
“Oklahoma!,’’ while entertaining, is a risk to present because of its reputation in the annals of musical theater history as a standard for the big American musical.
This production is successful in some respects: the look in the costumes and set is just right, and the score is realized very well vocally. However, the overall production lacks the spark that lets us know we are watching a blockbuster.
Director Scott Blanks does a great service in the 2 hour, 45 minute show of letting it unfold traditionally. He adds no bells or whistles that make it any more or less than it is. The show is well rehearsed, and the pace is fine. What is lacking, however, is the larger-than-life magic that transports the audience into another place and time.
Overall, the cast is competent. Mary Katherine Lawson (Laury) is quite an amazing actress with a nice voice, but not a leading soprano. Likewise, Paul Kaufmann is handsome enough as Curly, but lacks the charisma to pull off the leading-man persona that the role demands.
More notable are the performances of Shannon Willis Scruggs as Ado Annie and Kevin Bush as Will Parker. These two click as a couple and show a great understanding of comic timing with great vocal interpretation.
Most successful in the production are Kathy Hartzog as Aunt Eller and Scott Stepp as Jud Fry. Hartzog pushes the show along with her usual smart brand of humor. Stepp captures both the scary and pathetic nature of Jud. His rendition of “Lonely Room” is the highlight of the show.
Houston McMillan, in the smaller role of Andrew Carnes, is perfect.
Musical director Christopher Cockrell does a fine job with blends and dynamics. His small chorus serves him well.
Anita Ashley’s choreography is effective with the famous Dream Ballet, perfectly executed and trimmed to just the right length.
The six-piece band performs well. The three electronic keyboards, while adding a tremendous amount of depth to the score, often sound too tinny and almost carnival like. An acoustic piano sound would be welcomed in the pit.
“Oklahoma!” runs through May 28.
Larry Hembree has an MFA in Directing from the University of Georgia.