Oklahoma The Musical - article by High Quality Articles

Oklahoma The Musical

The show was the first that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote in partnership and it debuted on the Broadway stage in 1943. It was an instant hit with audiences and critics and successful revivals and national tours followed. The West End premier in London was in 1947. The starring role of Curly went to Howard Keel and he made the role his own. It was another smash and there have been British revival shows too. Many would be stars have appeared in Oklahoma the musical, including Hugh Jackman in 1998, more famous now for his performances in the X-Men films. One of the more unusual adaptations was the 2006 production by an all female theatre company in Japan!

Such was the cultural impact of the show, the title song, Oklahoma, became the official song of the state of Oklahoma in 1953. The stage productions were rewarded with a Special Tony Award in 1993 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first performance. The most prestigious British stage awards have also recognized Oklahoma the musical for its contribution. A 1999 revival received a Lawrence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production.

In addition to the title song, the most fondly remembered songs are Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, and I Cain't Say No. It's impossible not to find these songs uplifting and modern audiences still appreciate them. Oklahoma the musical finds new fans whenever the movie version appears on television. It was released in 1955 and Fred Zinnemann directed. The lucky actor to land the part of Curly was Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones made her movie debut as Laurey. Rod Steiger added menace with his portrayal of Jud.

The movie captured all the exuberance and romance of the stage production and it was very popular. It won Academy Awards for Best Music and Best Sound. Oklahoma the musical film can be re-lived on DVD in a special 2-disc edition. The Hugh Jackman stage show was also filmed and is available on DVD.

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