STAGE REVIEW
ACT proves 'Oklahoma!' still has lots of life
By Joseph T. Rosmiarek
Advertiser Drama Critic
Now almost 60 years old, "Oklahoma!" works best when it takes its cue from the lyrics in its opening
number. Cowboy Curly swaggers into Aunt Eller's farm yard declaring "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',"
and that the "corn is as high as an elephant's eye."
The Army Community Theatre production directed by Glenn Cannon doesn't shy away from the show's tall
corn, and succeeds all the better for it. All the characters proudly wear their emotions on their sleeves,
and even the villain and the con-man admit to their motives. This is not a contemporary, realistic vision,
but one that works within the stage conventions of the 1940s, when the original production was considered
a brave new blending of story, song and dance.
The show also was the first collaboration of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.
It's a simple story. Will Curly win over young Laurey and save her from the menacing hired hand, Jud Fry?
And will they all be strong enough to face the wrenching changes that come with statehood?
But mostly we remember the songs: "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Kansas City" and "I Can't Say No"
pile up against each other like an embarrassment of riches. If the performers can sing, they don't have to
act very hard to make the show a success.
The ACT principal singers can mostly carry a tune, but ultimately, the tunes carry them.
Josh Harris doesn't look the leading man, lacks full vocal range and support for the music, and makes
Curly a mite more awkward than the character requires. Laura McCray has almost the right lyrical voice
for Laurey, but would benefit from more clarity and control. As the primary love interest, they can't
overcome the scripting to evolve as a convincing couple.
Laurey spends most of the show keeping Curly at arm's length out of fear that "People Will Say We're in Love."
They fall into each other's embrace only when Jud Fry becomes a physical threat, then — too suddenly —
find themselves being married in the next scene.
The ACT production exacerbates the problem by speeding up the pace in the final scenes, blurring the action
and the dialogue by a sudden rush to wrap up the conclusion. This burst of dramatic adrenaline may come
from collective opening night nerves or a directorial decision to curtail the show's otherwise long playing time.
But when we lose much of Aunt Eller's inspirational speech to Laurey, catch only glimpses of Curly and Jud's
knife fight through the legs of the crowd, and begin to wonder what's really going on during the trial, we must
conclude that the runners are kicking too hard toward the finish line.
The most obvious way to shorten the playing time would be to cut the dream ballet that ends the 90-minute
first act. But while the dance sequence doesn't always work in contemporary revivals, in this production it
plays beautifully. The ballet not only showcases excellent performances by Stephanie Chang and Michael
Feliciani, it dramatically illustrates Curly and Laurey's greatest fears. It's not extraneous — it's a high point.
The best solution may simply be to let the drama play itself out in the final scenes with a more natural pace.
If it holds us, we'll forgive the three-hour running time.
As in most productions, much of the fun in "Oklahoma!" comes from the supporting roles. Christopher Arsenaut
and Jennifer Harris are very good as Will Parker and Ado Annie and choreography by Grace Bell
Humerickhouse makes their duet on "All er Nuthin'" into a real gem.
Keith LaBryer is good as peddler Ali Hakim, Susan Pester punches up Aunt Eller, and Mike Humerickhouse
hits the right dark notes as Jud. The large chorus is always on target with spirited dancing and singing.
Lina Jung Doo keeps the orchestra on track, Tom Giza's opening farmhouse tableau and simple set pieces
work well, and the new sound system makes for much improved audibility.
Much in the ACT production proves that "Oklahoma!" isn't yet ready to be called a museum piece.
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Mike Humerickhouse (Dream Jud Fry, left), Stephanie Chang (Dream Laurey) and Michael Feliciani (Dream Curly) reenact the fantasy ballet scene, in which evil Jud Fry succeeds in taking Laurey away from Curly.
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The Army Community Theatre
production is a fresh staging
of an American classic
Story and photos by John Berger
All too often it seems that the big dance numbers in local musicals do more toward stretching the running time of the show than advancing the story or adding fresh perspectives on the characters. Few indeed are as marvelous as choreographer Grace Bell Humerickhouse's staging of the climatic "Dream Ballet" in Army Community Theatre's latest production of "Oklahoma!" A dance number that could have easily been used as filler becomes one of the highlights in a fine traditional treatment of a classic Broadway hit.
Stephanie Chang (Dream Laurey), Michael Feliciani (Dream Curly) and Mike Humerickhouse (Dream Jud) share credit with the choreographer for a dance sequence that goes from strength to strength in building to a powerful climax. Chang, a trained ballerina, becomes one with Feliciani. Humerickhouse, who also portrays the "real" Jud Fry, is massive and menacing as their nemesis.
The ballet is the pivotal scene in this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic. The dream couple's counterparts have spent Act I flirting and playing hard-to-get as each tries to get the other to commit first. It takes the threat of Fry, the malevolent hired hand who dwells in the smokehouse on Laurey's farm, to put an end to their game-playing.
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Keith R. La Bryer (Ali Hakim), Susan Pester (Aunt Eller) and Laura McCray (Laurey) are seated while Chang and Feliciani stand behind.
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Humerickhouse is excellent in the show's most complicated role. Is the hired hand a loner because he's evil, or are his dark thoughts and penchant for violence the result of his feeling isolated from those around him? The role is the most complex in the show, and Humerickhouse makes it the foundation of the ACT production.
Josh Harris (Curly) and Laura McCray (Laurey) are likewise nicely matched as the romantic leads. Harris looks every bit a cowboy and plays Curly, for the most part, as a cowhand almost too honorable and naive to understand what he's up against in taking on Jud Fry. Harris, however, also proves worthy of the dramatic challenges involved in bringing out the bizarre facets and dark humor of the song "Pore Jud is Daid," Curly's rather transparent attempt to persuade Jud to commit suicide.
Humerickhouse's subsequent solo, "Lonely Room," is even darker and more ominous in contrast.
Christopher Arsenaut (Will Parker), Jennifer Harris (Ado Annie) and Keith R. La Bryer (Ali Hakim) are a nicely balanced team in playing out the lighter romantic complications that ensue when cowboy Will thinks Annie wants to marry the wily Persian peddler Ali Hakim. Harris became an instant audience favorite with her first big number "I Cain't Say No." Arsenaut and La Bryer are both very good as rival suitors, and Derrick Kam adds a nice bit of comic menace as Annie's shotgun-wielding father.
Jenny Mayumi Unno (Gertie) adds a brief but noticeable comic presence as a woman Curly uses in his efforts to make Laurey confess her interest in him.
Set designer Tom Giza has done a fine job suggesting the rural setting of Laurey's farmhouse. The windmill is a nice touch, and choreographer Humerickhouse makes imaginative use of it in staging "All er Nuthin' " in Act II. The dark smokehouse is also nicely executed and includes a mysterious covered "something" that adds visual impact to Fry's thinly-veiled threats.
Lina Jeong Doo gives the performers ample musical support and treats each of the show's classic tunes with the respect they deserve. Although there were problems with microphone noise on opening night, from the moment Josh Harris burst into "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'," it was evident that the new sound system is a notable improvement over the old one.
Director Glenn Cannon has done some trimming to accommodate the modern desire for shorter shows, but the basic Rodgers & Hammerstein tale of two parallel romances somewhere on the American frontier remains delightfully intact.
