by Eric Andrews-Katz - SGN Contributing Writer

Oklahoma!
5th Avenue Theatre
Through March 4

Oklahoma! is the groundbreaking show that changed the face of musical theater forever. Not only marking the first collaboration between the fathers of American musical theater (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II), Oklahoma! would set the precedent of the 'book musical,' and solidify the place in history that Rodgers and Hammerstein would rightfully claim. Now the 5th Avenue Theatre presents this classic musical, and they do a delightful job.

The songs are iconic: 'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',' 'Surrey with the Fringe on Top,' 'People Will Say We're in Love,' and even the title number have all become part of the American Songbook repertoire. The storyline is probably less known than the songs it originally presented. Set in the Oklahoma territory in 1906, the story centers on the courtship between cowboy Curly (Eric Ankrim), and farmer's daughter, Laurey (Alexandra Zorn), who is being raised by her Aunt Eller (Anne Allgood). Adding tension to the scene is farmhand Jud Fry (Kyle Scatliffe), a shifty sort who has also been secretly in love with Laurey. When it comes time to go to the countryside event, the Box Social, flirtatious games get out of hand and Curly takes another girl while Laurey goes with Jud. Quickly giving in to their true feelings, Curly and Laurey abandon their escorts, give into their hearts and get engaged, leading to a full confrontation between Curly and Jud Frye.

The main actors have great voices and all do well with the songs they sing. Ankrim adds a charming boyish quality to Curly that easily allows the audience in to his character. This is a different take from the familiar macho image this role has become associated with (Alfred Drake, Howard Keel, and Hugh Jackman have all played it before), making the cowboy more endearing. He handles the lyrics well and the gentleness of his presence adds a more melodic quality to the songs he sings. Zorn plays the neophyte with a strong sense of understanding herself. We can see Laurey being torn between her heart and her responsibilities. Zorn's clear, operatic tone is solid and easily projected.

Only Scatliffe seemed to be out of sorts with his performance. He was obviously cast for his stage presence and his singing voice, both of which are strong assets indeed. His appearance on stage as the antihero is more menacing due to his build - especially when standing next to someone less threatening. Scatliffe's voice is definitely strong and he sings the duet 'Poor Jud Is Dead' with a firm sound. It was his acting with which he seemed clumsy and not comfortable, as it appeared that he stumbled over most of the staged blocking. It could have been as simple as a misunderstood stage note: it might have read 'play crazy in love' and maybe he lost the last two words, as his delivery seemed awkward on most accounts, if not just a little too over-the-top.

The supporting cast was mostly excellent. The sideline story of romance between Will Parker (Matt Owen) and Ado Annie Carnes (Kirsten deLohr Helland) is very charming. DeLohr Helland is perfectly cast as the girl who 'Cain't Say No.' Her mere presence summarizes Ado Annie's flair for the flirtatious life and the enjoyment she gets from it. She plays the wide-eyed woman with great delight and adorability. Owen plays the love-struck cowboy as more of a cartoon caricature than a man determined to win his true love. His voice is strong and he excels in both singing and tap-dancing in the crowd-pleasing 'Kansas City' number, but the rest of his movements (as well as his delivery) are more along the lines of Woody from the Toy Story series. Anne Allgood plays Aunt Eller - that should be all that's needed for anyone to want a ticket for this show. Allgood is enjoyable appearing on any stage.

The ensemble cast all deserve to be mentioned, but there are too many members to single out. The Spectrum Dance Theater lends its support to the large groups of dancers who help to make this a beautiful show. While some of the cowboy scenes was reminiscent of Seattle's old Timberline days, the sheer gracefulness of the dance is exemplified in the now historic Dream Ballet. Fifteen minutes of polished elegance can be a little long if one is not a true fan of dance, but the sequence is beautifully presented, as is most of the other dancing in this show.

Oklahoma! opened at the St. James Theater on March 31, 1943, and ushered in a new era of musical theater. Being that the Tony Award for theater excellence was not founded until 1947, Oklahoma! was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize. Since then, the musical has enjoyed four successful Broadway revivals, garnering a total of nine Tony nominations with two wins, including a special award for its 50th anniversary in 1993.

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