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