Oklahoma (2007)

The Actorsingers...

The Actorsingers is a nonprofit charitable organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Hampshire. We are located at 219 Lake Street, Nashua, New Hampshire, with a mailing address of PO Box 91, Nashua, New Hampshire 03061.

Board of Directors for 2006-2007

President Charles Emmons
Vice-President Martha Daniels Holland
Corresponding Secretary Jim Maloney
Recording Secretary Dave Ducharme
Treasurer Stan Polan
Directors
Donna O'Bryant Metzger
Val Psoinos
Rich Glynn
Kathy Lovering
Kathleen Meehan Goreham
Craig Neth

Director's Notes:

I've often heard the debate: Are there any purely American art forms? Many would agree there are at least two: Jazz music being one and what we commonly refer to as Musical Theater being the other. Theater experts and historians will undoubtedly continue to debate but few would argue that the formula for the American Broadway Musical was perfected from the 1940s into the 1960s. Of all the many talents of that time, none were more accomplished than Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Their body of work is rich with critical acclaim and roundly loved by generations of theater goers everywhere. The team created many historic shows and broke new artistic ground with their combined talents.

Oklahoma was the team's first collaboration and arguably their most important. Oklahoma opened on Broadway on March 31, 1943 and immediately redefined what musical theater would be for decades to come. The nation was coming out of the Great Depression and engaged in the Second World War. Most Broadway shows were effectively revues with well known singing stars. They were not stories of challenge and drama. Patrons of the theater wanted to escape the real world. They did not want to watch a story of struggle and risk. In his book Rodgers and Hammerstein, author Ethan Mordden writes; "By the rules of its day, Oklahoma was bizarre, but Oklahoma changed the rules. These (rules) now read one: Don't start with a star, start with a story. Two: Don't paste fun onto the show; find the fun within the action. Three: The songs and dances define the characters or further the action." Oklahoma interpreted ballet in a whole new way for a musical. It focused on acting as a key performance skill in staging a musical (not just song and dance). It ran for a then unprecedented 2,212 performances before closing in 1948. With all this, the show boasts some of the best known and most loved music in theater history. The show was a true artistic innovation and groundbreaking event in theater.

Oklahoma is truly a theatrical diamond. Like a precious keep sake or family tradition that is passed from one generation to the next generation. It is a story of simple people with simple goals. And though there is uncertainty and risk, a story of people willing to put aside their differences and gather together to form a community for their common good. They face the challenges together. And isn't that at the heart of what makes American and our people great?

This is my first project with Actorsingers. It has been my great fortune to work with this extremely talented cast, these highly professional co-directors and all the crew and resources of this accomplished and acclaimed organization. It has been a tremendous experience. Special thanks to my lovely wife Mary for helping me create the time to go play in the theater and my beautiful daughters Kate and Rachel who make being a dad one of the great joys in my life!

Now go find that cowboy or cowgirl inside you and enjoy the show!

Daniel Barth