Still Doin’ Fine, 75 Years Later
This past weekend was the 75th Anniversary of the Broadway opening of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, and I can’t let the milestone go by without comment.
Much has been written over the years of the impact the show had on the American musical theater; there are important lessons to be learned in studying the show, lessons for today’s creators of musical theater. But I’ll leave that to others, for now at least. I just want to relate a few memories of Oklahoma!’s impact on my own life.
Oklahoma! was the third show I directed in New York City, but it was the very first time I had a review in the New York Times. And it was a complimentary mention! The review praised my staging of a “potentially unwieldy” large amount of singers on the stage, and congratulated me on not making the show unduly corny or quaint. The morning the Times review came out, I was ecstatic. I felt it validated the crazy choice I’d made to pursue a directing career. But ya know what? Before the Times review, or if the Time review had never come out, I was already ecstatically happy, because I loved the production we’d created at the Village Light Opera Group. It was, indeed, a huge cast. But oh! If you could’ve heard them sing the title song – the strength of their vocal skills combined with the sheer energy of their performances of that masterfully rousing song stopped the show every night. The production included full sets, beautiful costumes, a full orchestra, and the amazing musical direction by the late Ronald Noll. And our principals! The cast was led by the charming personalities and glorious voices of Jamie Lightstone and Terri Hoover Nolte; the darkly impressive Lawrence Asher as Jud Fry, the dynamo leslie Shreve as Aunt Eller, and included the best trio I’ve ever seen in the roles of Ali Hakim (Danny Rubenstein, who is now my husband), Will Parker, and Ado Annie (Craig Howard & Erin Parker Meashey, both of whom had been colleagues and friends of mine for a long time). There was so much talent in that production – on stage and off – that it will always be a highlight, not just of my career, but of my life.
Celeste Holm
While we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Oklahoma!, I am remembering where I was to celebrate the 50th. Danny was a member of the Players Club, where a special celebration was planned to honor the show. We were invited to rehearse and perform in the celebration, and on the night of the event, I was thrilled to be part of a Players Club chorus singing the title song. And here’s the amazing thing: our two honored guests in the audience that night were Joan Roberts and Celeste Holm. I was more than a little star-struck, and simply in awe of their grace and the history they represented. Imagine! Singing “YOU’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, o – k - l – a – h – o –-” while looking into the delighted eyes of the original Laurey and Ado Annie. A night to remember.
Over the past weekend, thinking about this significant milestone of Oklahoma!, I re-watched the YouTube recording of last summer's performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall: the BBC “Proms” series presented the John Wilson Orchestra and a spectacular cast in a concert staging of Oklahoma!. The actor who starred as “Curly” -- Nathaniel Hackmann, a wonderful Broadway actor with a glorious voice -- had also sung the lead role in our show during its development a couple of years ago. So of course I was excited to see Nate perform in Oklahoma! He was delightful, charming, and everything you want Curly to be. Just watch Nate yourself, and see if you don’t agree.
Yeah, some might see the show as dated, as potentially corny or quaint. But the beauty of Richard Rodgers' beautiful music? And Oscar Hammerstein’s words of hope and optimism? Well, let’s just hope that beautiful music, optimism, and hope never go out of style.
Thanks, Oklahoma!, for a lifetime of memories. You’re O.K.!