Review: You Can’t Say No to “Oklahoma!”
“Oklahoma!” may be considered one of the earliest modern musicals, but director Daniel Fish’s version of this classic Rodgers and Hammerstein production is anything but typical. Originally revived on Broadway in 2019, Fish’s production is darker, edgier, and much, much sexier than one would typically expect from this musical duo known for its heartwarming lyrics and happy endings.
At its core, the production is the same. Without changing a word, the musical is still centered around confident cowboy Curly McLain (Sean Grandillo) and surly farmhand Jud Fry (Christopher Bannow) competing to see who gets the honor of taking the lovely Ms. Laurey Williams (Sasha Hutchings) to the local dance. It’s everything that happens in between the original text that marks this production as vastly different from its cheery counterpart.
Sasha Hutchings, Sean Grandillo and the company of the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!
Grandillo shines as the flirtatious Curly, strutting around the stage with a sort of confident swagger. He may not change a thing (lyrically) during his rendition of “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” but his body language and facial expressions as he sings to Hutchings create sexual tension that fills the room like a thick fog. This tension only escalates during Grandillo and Hutchings’ duet “Let People Say We’re in Love.” What is normally a sweet, lovely ballad becomes a sort of flirtatious tango as Hutchings dances around the stage, teasing Curly as he sprawls himself across the stage.
Christopher Bannow, Sean Grandillo, Sasha Hutchings and the company of the national tour of Rodgers Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!
As this smooth talking cowboy tries to woo his lady, she is also being pursued by menacing loner Jud Fry. Bannow gives off slight serial killer vibes, which in fairness, is the point of his character. So much so, in fact, that one would not expect the smooth, almost operatic voice that accompanies his dramatic number “Lonely Room.”
In comparison to the teasing back and forth of Curly and Laurey, Ado Annie (Sis) is more of the “string her poor man along” type. As Sis saunters around in a denim miniskirt, her number “I Cain’t Say No” becomes a powerful statement about female sexuality and desire. While maintaining the humor and country undertones of the song, she brings a sort of jazzy, bluesy energy and absolutely nails that big, final note.
Hennessy Winkler, Sis, and the company of the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!
Gabrielle Hamilton and the company of the National Tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!
While this reimagined version does have its merits, there are some moments that can only be described as bizarre. What should be fairly simple moments often become, shall we say, complicated? Songs like “Pore Jud is Daid” and Laurey’s dream sequence become more about the artistic attempts, rather than the plot itself. Elements like projections, special effects, and truly dramatic lighting choices felt like they were there more for shock value than anything else. The song may be about Jud dying, but does the whole song really need to be sung in the dark with Jud’s face on the screen, a la “In Memoriam” style? It might be worth the price of admission just to see this bizarre demonstration of artistic choice.
In comparison to this drawn out sequence in the dark, “The Farmer and the Cowman” comes back in true Rodgers and Hammerstein style. Costume designer Terese Wadden has created gorgeous dresses in bright, fun colors that fill the stage with layers and layers of swirling skirts. This toe-tapping, skirt-flipping hoedown is a raucous display of energy and fun, which is much needed after the smoke-and-electric-guitar-filled dance sequence of Laurey’s hallucinations (Jordan Wynn took on the role of Lead Dancer in this performance).
While the musical does stay true to its roots, Fish has created something far more entertaining. Without compromising the integrity of the show, the company of “Oklahoma!” manages to bring the dialogue to a completely different place, full of humor and innuendos. While admittedly a bit odd in some places, this modern piece full of desire and lust has stripped down this cutesy musical from the 1940s and exposed it’s dark underbelly.
Barbara Walsh and Patrick Clanton in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!
The production runs for two hours and forty five minutes, including one intermission. Please be advised that the production contains fog, loud gunshots, moments of darkness, violence, language, and themes that may be disturbing for some viewers and young audience members. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
“Oklahoma!” runs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC through April 10, 2022.
Additional production photos can be found below. All photo credit to Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade.
