In the world of musical theatre, Oklahoma! is more than OK.
Still going strong 80 years after it was first performed, the Rodgers & Hammerstein show is one of the best-loved musicals and one of the most performed – with a new West End revival winning rave reviews after arriving from Broadway.
Now the talented young cast of Aberdeen’s own Phoenix Youth Theatre are bringing their rootin’, tootin’ version to the stage next week – and two of its young stars can’t wait for curtain up at Aberdeen Arts Centre.
“We’re very excited. Everyone knows Oklahoma! and it is just a lovely show,” said Nicole Stuart, who is playing Laurey.
Matthew Cranfield, who is playing Curly, added: “It’s an old show that has very interesting characters. I think everyone knows one song at least and it’s a nice story.”
Wonderful music and compelling characters make Oklahoma! a classic
Oklahoma follows Laurey and her courtship with two rival suitors, handsome cowboy Curly and brooding farmhand Jud. It’s packed full of classic songs, such as Oh! What A Beautiful Morning, I Cain’t Say No and People Will Say We’re In Love and, of course, Oklahoma!
Nicole and Matthew say it’s the combination of compelling characters and wonderful music which has kept Oklahoma! – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s groundbreaking first musical – centre stage for eight decades.
“The music is so catchy and it is such a beautiful story,” said Nicole.
“But I think with the character of Jud, you have a villain you actually feel sympathy for. There’s a lot more depth to the story.”
Matthew added: “I think for its time it changed a lot of things, such as a sympathetic villain and at the opening having Curly singing from the wings and walking on. It was different from what you classically had with a huge opening dance to number to open up a huge show.
“It was kind of stripped and it feels like such a vintage show.”
Phoenix Youth staying true to original version of Oklahoma!
The award-winning West End version, now playing at London’s Wyndham Theatre, is a cutting-edge re-imagining of the show, full of state-of-art staging, lighting and video. But Nicole and Matthew said the Phoenix version is staying true to the original Broadway production from 1942.
“We are keeping it very legit and very old school,” said Nicole. “We’re not like the new version which changes the original story. We are staying with that Golden Age version.”
Matthew said: “It’s definitely more true to the original intentions of the production. We have all the depth there that was intended in the writing of the characters.”
Nicole is loving getting into character as Laurey, the independent and fiery young woman who finds herself torn between Curly and Jud.
“I love Laurey’s relationships with the other characters. She’s always playing hard-to-get and she doesn’t like to seem as soft and as sweet as she really is,” she said.
“I love her relationship with Jud. You think she would be nicer about him, but she’s just so cruel and doesn’t give him any chance. Her scene with Jud is one of my favourites.”
Nicole and Matthew bow out from Phoenix Youth after Oklahoma!
Matthew, meanwhile, is thrilled to be essaying his Curly, the confident “bronc buster”.
“He’s so interesting and there’s a lot to play around with – although it maybe took a bit of time to get hold of the accent,” said Matthew, laughing. “He’s kind of arrogant and pining for Laurey, but he’s a lover at heart. A lot more emotional than he seems to let on.”
Starring in Oklahoma is not the first stage rodeo for these two young actors – Nicole has been with the company since she was six and Matthew since he was five. But it will be their last.
Turning 18, the pair are now leaving the company and going on to pursue further education.
Matthew is planning to study medicine, while Nicole is going on to Laine Theatre Arts drama school in London to pursue a career in musical theatre. Both are sad to be saying goodbye to Phoenix.
“It really is a Phoenix family and that’s what I’ll miss the most,” said Nicole.
Oklahoma! will be night to remember for Aberdeen Arts Centre audiences
But before they go, they want to make sure audiences have a night to remember when they come to Oklahoma.
Matthew said: “The cast are really good and we’re putting on a stunning performance. But I hope the audience think about it a lot. There’s a lot of layers to the story. I hope people question the characters and who is in the right and who is in the wrong.”
Oklahoma! by Phoenix Youth Theatre is at Aberdeen Arts Centre from June 28 to July 1. For information and tickets go to aberdeenartscentre.com or call 01224 635208.
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