University of Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma! Set for the Big Screen Saturday
June 18, 2010 | Athletics
|
NORMAN, Okla. -- As part of its Year of the Fan celebration, the OU Athletics Department will show Oklahoma! on the big screen at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Saturday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. If you're not familiar with the Rogers & Hammerstein classic, here's some history...
Oklahoma! is one of the best known and best loved productions from Rogers & Hammerstein. With a string of numbers in it including 'Oh what a beautiful morning', 'The Surrey with the Fringe on top', 'Kansas City' and even 'Oklahoma', it had a strong musical basis for success. Added to that the schmaltzy 'Boy & Girl live happily ever after' theme and a touch of tension, it was an immediate success during the austere times following the Second World War. Even now, it is a favorite for many people.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had worked together on the odd tune before, but Oklahoma! marked the beginning of one of the most successful long-term partnerships in musical history. Prior to their teaming up, Rodgers, the composer, had enjoyed a long working relationship with Lorenz Hart. Their output was prolific, producing many fine numbers that have endured to this day. Pal Joey was among of the resulting list of great shows. Hammerstein had worked as librettist and lyricist with some of the great names - Harbach, Friml, Romberg, Gershwin and Kern among them. Well known successes include: Rose-Marie, The New Moon, The Desert Song and Show Boat.
By 1942, Lorenz Hart was seriously ill. The Theatre Guild in America had commissioned Rodgers to write a score based on a play "Green Grow the Lilacs". Hammerstein was between jobs at the time. Providence brought them together and it was clear very quickly that not only did they make a good team, their first musical was turning into something special. Work progressed under the less charismatic title of "Away We Go!"a name which was kept right through the try outs until the show's launch on Broadway in 1943.
Oklahoma! was an instant success and ran for a record breaking 2,212 performances only to be beaten 15 years later by 'My Fair Lady'. World War II delayed the opportunity for the show to be seen in London but when it arrived in 1947, starring a little known Harold (Howard) Keel, it had a profound effect on the British public. Brought up on a diet of Ivor Novello and Noel Coward, and living under the grey clouds of post-war austerity; audiences were won over by the upbeat, optimistic themes and colorful spectacle. From that moment, the American musical was to reign supreme for decades to come. The 1955 film, starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, is still a popular favorite today and the show continues to be one of the most often revived by both professionals and amateurs.
It is considered by many to be the first musical comedy to have a plot, musical score and dances that were necessary ingredients to advance the story line. Oklahoma! was also the first musical to have its entire score recorded, thus creating the original cast album.
 |
Did You Know? |
The show was only renamed Oklahoma! when it was released on Broadway after the title song (without the !) was included at the last moment.At the time of the story, Oklahoma had few settlers, farmers or cowmen; the population was swollen by many more oil prospectors, marauders and opportunists. The film was shot entirely in Nogales, Arizona; Oklahoma was deemed to look "too modern" as a location. The State of Oklahoma adopted the title song as their official anthem in 1953.Oklahoma! broke all box office records when it opened on Broadway in 1943. As the first musical to tell a story with music, dance and lyrics, Oklahoma! forever changed the form of musical theatre. It is considered by many to be the first musical comedy to have a plot, musical score and dances that were necessary ingredients to advance the story line.Oklahoma! was the first musical to have its entire score recorded, thus creating the original cast album.Oklahoma! won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1944. This is the first Todd-AO production and the first of three such productions to be shot twice, first at 24 fps (to produce the general-release version in 35 mm) and finally at 30 fps (to produce the roadshow version in 70 mm). The 35 mm version is presented in CinemaScope; the 70 mm version is presented in Todd-AO. The world premiere was preceded by a parade of fringed surreys, led by then-Oklahoma Gov. Raymond Gary (1908-1993, governor 1955-1959), which made its way from the St. James Theater, where the stage version of "Oklahoma" had opened 12 years earlier, to the Rivoli Theater for the film premiere. There, standing atop a carpet of transplanted Oklahoma soil, Gov. Gary helped raise the Oklahoma state flag from the theater staff and officially proclaimed the Rivoli to be Oklahoma territory. Paul Newman and James Dean were among those who were originally considered for the role of Curly. It has also been reported that Frank Sinatra had been offered the role of Curly, but when he heard that every scene of the film would be shot twice; once in Todd-AO and again in CinemaScope, he turned it down. Mr. Sinatra was accustomed to filming his scenes in any motion picture once... and only once! |
Synopsis |
In the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), during the land rush of 1907, Laurey, with the help of her Aunt Eller, is managing the family farm. She has two suitors: charming cowboy Curly McLain and Jud Fry, her dark, brooding farmhand. Though she favors Curly, to spite him she agrees to let Jud drive her to the Box Lunch Social.
Will Parker has returned from Kansas City where he has won fifty dollars in a steer roping contest and plans to claim man-crazy Ado Annie as his bride. Her father, Andrew Carnes, has told him that if he ever had that much money she would be his. Unfortunately, Will has spent the money on presents, and is broke again. Carnes insists Annie marry Ali Hakim, the peddler who has been pursuing her. Ali Hakim is not interested in marriage.
Curly visits Jud and tries to discourage him, but the rivalry intensifies. Laurey believing in the "Elixir of Egypt" bought from the peddler, sniffs it and has a dream that helps her make up her mind.
At the Box Lunch Social, while farm people and cattle folk socialize, Ali Hakim goes to great lengths to ensure that Will is once more worth fifty dollars. Jud and Curly engage in a bidding war in the auction for Laurey's lunch basket (and her company at lunch) and Curly proves his love by selling everything he owns to win.
Later, at the dance, Laurey spurns Jud's advances, which provokes a confrontation that results in Jud's dismissal and banishment from her ranch. She and Curly admit their love and they agree to marry.
Ado Annie and Will, with Ali Hakim out of the picture, reconcile and promise to be true to each other.
Laurey and Curly marry, and before Jud returns and provokes a fight. In the scuffle, he is killed with his own knife. Curly is tried on the spot, pleads self-defense, and is acquitted.
Information for this story provided by www.baos.org and IMBD.com.
