OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA – Music by Richard Rodgers; Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Directed by Kate Vallee; Music Direction by Mason Siders; Choreography by Shawna Walker.  Produced by Candlelight Dinner Playhouse (4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown) through March 30.  Tickets available at 970-744-3747 or ColoradoCandlelight.com. 

This first collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein could have had the distinct feel of something drug out of the closet of old scripts.  But – on, no! – this production feels fresh and strong from the first moments to the last.  There are nuances present that this observer had not experienced in a production of this incredible score and familiar story. 

When you enter the theatre and see the “bright golden haze” over the farm scene on stage, it’s apparent from that moment on that something special is happening here.  The set designed by Casey Kearns and constructed by Josiah Buhre and his crew has a distinctive lean and lovely look.  Add in the Light Design by Laurel Ladzinski and you’ve got that famous afternoon look of the Midwest where a lot of us grew up. 

Then the show starts and Patric Case’s booming voice comes down the aisle extolling the “beautiful morning” and you’re home again.  Patric’s Curly is a robust, fully alive cowboy who appreciates the wide-open spaces.  He has charm, healthy self-deprecating humor, a sweet and respectful attitude toward women of all ages, and a killer voice.  He is confident enough in his masculinity to argue with the woman he loves and vulnerable enough to believe her when she insults him back.  His scene with Jud, the onerous hired hand, is a master class in manipulation, both as written and performed by these two talented actors.  

His performance is further enhanced by the strong partner he has in the core love story. Jennasea Pearce brings the spunky sure-of-herself character of Laurie to life.  She obviously loves Curly and he obviously adores her, but they have to play the cat-and-mouse game with the role of mouse switching between the two.  The chemistry is sweet and gives insight into what their eventual married life will be like – volatile, passionate, supportive, and cantankerous, all softened by love.  Jenni’s voice is strong and sweet; her characterization is confident; she’s funny and fun to watch.  Her fear of Jud also at times seems tempered by sympathy – but not enough to erase the fear. 

I’ve been watching Chas Lederer act for what seems like decades.  My favorite to date had been his goofy turn as the comic relief Jeff in BRIGADOON here at CDP.  But he proved with this portrayal of Jud Fry, the mentally twisted hired hand, that he has more to give than goofiness.  There wasn’t a person in the theatre who didn’t feel Jud’s desperate loneliness as he sang his life story in the tormented “Lonely Room.”  He laid his heart bare and dumped his anger and pain on the floor in front of us, holding nothing back.  Everyone in the audience wanted to yell to him, “Take a shower, put on clean clothes, comb your hair, and smile, damn it! “ Of course, that didn’t happen and his pointless pursuit of Laurie becomes his breaking point.  Well done, Mr. Lederer, you broke our hearts. 

The other classic characters of this well-known script were also done to perfection.  Brooke Curry teases and pleases with her role as Ado Annie, the girl who “cain’t say no.”  Owen Whitham leads a troop of tap-dancing cowboys as Will Parker.  His enthusiastic pursuit of Ado Annie is a cute counterpart to Curly’s slow but steady courtship of Laurie.  Lloyd Harvey maneuvering a caught-in-the-middle situation brings humor as the peddler Ali Hakim who didn’t want to get married – just have a little fun.  Carrie Klofach as the elder in the community shows us that she’s not dead yet as she kicks up her heels with the young folk.   

A great deal of the charm of this production also lies in the amazing dance sequences.  I’ve already mentioned the novelty of tap-dancing cowboys.  There are many dance breaks throughout the evening done by the ensemble beautifully clad in colorful dresses while their partners wore nearly matching-colored shirts.  It made for an amazing picture of movement and color.  But the cherry on top of the whole evening was the magnificent Dream Ballet performed by Jessie Mays Hobson as the graceful image of Laurie and Cory Michael Klements as the Dream Curly.  Truly breath-taking.  Too many productions leave this lovely piece out of the show either because they don’t have the dancers or because they underestimate the power of telling a story this way.  Congratulations to Master Choreographer Shawna Walker for recognizing the talent of these dancers and visualizing the beauty of the dance. 

It’s always fun to see what the kitchen is going to do to match the menu to the melodies.  This show brings us good old-fashioned barbeque, chicken fried steaks, and deviled eggs as an appetizer.  Can’t get more Western than that. 

Candlelight does it again.  A WOW factor of 9! 

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