Review: 'Oklahoma!' by Goodspeed Musicals

Pictured: “I don't say I'm no better than anybody else. But I'll be damned if I ain't jist as good!” The cast of Goodspeed Musicals’ Oklahoma!, now playing at The Goodspeed through September 27.
Photo Credit © Photo by Diane Sobolewski

East Haddam, CT - ‘Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!’ is running at Goodspeed Musicals and Wednesday night the press came out in force to the venue on the river for their first look at the seminal musical. I will admit up front that this was the first time I have ever seen a production of this classic work. While I was not a great admirer of the story, particularly the character of Jud, the music and dancing certainly were impressive.

Set in the Indian Territory that is now Oklahoma in the summer of 1908 (but don’t expect to see a single Native American,) it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams. There is a secondary romance that involves cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie for comic relief. The Goodspeed production features costumes designed by Tracy Christensen straight out of the wild west and a set designed by Wilson Chin with an old farmhouse, rows of corn “as high as an elephant’s eye,” and a creepy smokehouse, and everything delivered in thick folksy accents y’all.

Jenn Thompson (who directed last season’s ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ that earned five CCC nominations) makes this classic musical fit upon the tiny Goodspeed stage and wisely used the aisles to bring the characters to life. Katie Spellman choreographed the wonderful dancing; I thought that the dancing in the Ballet that closes the first act was quite beautiful. I suspect that it was fresh and/or trimmed and it definitely told a story. Michael O’Flaherty once again served as music director, with F. Wade Russo as his assistant, and he conducted the magnificent orchestra.

“Let people say we’re in love!” Laurey (Samantha Bruce) and Curly (Rhett Guter) in Goodspeed Musicals’ Oklahoma!, now playing at The Goodspeed through September 27.
Photo Credit © Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Samantha Bruce made her Goodspeed debut in the role of young Laurey; her singing voice was spectacular and a joy to hear in the classic R&H tunes. I remembered Rhett Guter in the role of Conrad Birdie in Goodspeed’s ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ last summer for which he won the Connecticut Critics Circle award for best featured actor in a musical. He took on the leading role of Curly and with considerable charm lit up the stage.

Broadway’s Terry Burrell was strong in the role of Laurey’s Aunt Eller and Matthew Curiano, who toured last year as Tateh in ‘Ragtime,’ nailed the comic elements of Persian peddler Ali Hakim in his Goodspeed debut. Matt Faucher, a Hartt School grad, returned home to play the role of Jud Fry, the hired farm hand who Curly goads to commit suicide by hanging himself in the smokehouse where he lives. So there is that…

Gizel Jimenez was quite adorable as the flirtatious Ado Annie and C. Mingo Long, who appeared as Samuel in the Off-Broadway production of ‘Liberty the Musical,’ was most effective as her father Andrew Carnes. Jake Swain (Harvey Johnson in ‘Bye Bye Birdie) was energetic as Will Parker. There was not a weak link in the ensemble which included Kelly Berman (dance captain) as Sylvie, Morgan Cowling as Kate, Lauren Csete as Carolyn, Tamrin Goldberg as Vivian, Kate Arrington Johnson as the laughing Gertie, Madison Turner as Virginia and Olivia Nicole Hoffman (‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Hartford Stage) as Emma.

The guys included Mark Deler as Joe, Tripp Hampton as Mike, Howard Kaye as Ike Skidmore, Morgan McCann as Cord, Andrew Purcell as Fred, Alex Ringler as Jess, Marco Antonio Santiago as Slim, and Alex Stewart as Chalmers.

‘Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!’ includes music by Richard Rogers and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II in the team’s first professional collaboration and is based upon the pastoral drama by Lynn Riggs called ‘Green Grow the Lilacs,’ although the endings are different. Original dances by Agnes de Mille fused with music, book, and lyrics to tell one unified story. ‘Oklahoma!’ was the first Broadway to have an original cast recording and the Academy Award winning film version was released in 1955. Goodspeed is “delighted to produce this eminently exalted, trailblazing musical that ceaselessly enchants audiences, while personifying America’s boundless pioneering spirit.” - Joshua S. Ritter, Education Manager and Library Director at Goodspeed Musicals Performances continue through Sept. 27 at Goodspeed Opera House, with a sensory-friendly performance scheduled for Sept. 24 at 2:00pm.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417