Evanston’s Light Opera Works Does Oklahoma!

Submitted on 12/31/2007

Story by Suzanne Hanney

Alex Honzen as Jud Fry (L to R) with Natalie Ford as Laurey Williams and Will Reynolds as Curly McLain in Light Opera Works’ Oklahoma! through Dec. 31 at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston. (Photo: Rich Foreman).

When my parents were dating during World War II, my mother wanted to see the new musical Oklahoma!, but my father resisted because of its “country” theme: the farmer and the cattleman learning to live together on the eve of Oklahoma statehood a century ago.

But Mom finally won out. And from the first song, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” Daddy sighed and sat back in his seat, transfixed.

I had the same reaction to Light Opera Works’ production of the ground-breaking classic, now playing at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, through Dec. 31. My high school and yours may have done this play, but they can’t compare.

This production is technically gorgeous, with the requisite strong ensemble cast. The set is a frame farm house amid graduated rows of corn. Robert Andrew Kovach conveys the proper feeling of expansiveness with the backdrop of “waving wheat that sure smells sweet, when the wind comes right behind the rain” – from the title song.

Lighting by Andrew H. Meyers enhances the set with a purple twilight, red sunset and angry clouds during the famous “dream ballet.” Costume designer Nikki Delhomme adds frilly calico dresses that twirl in the dance sequences.

Will Reynolds is appropriately macho and sweetly clueless as Curly, the cowboy in love with Laurey, captured by Natalie Ford’s lilting voice. The characters are set to go to a lunchbox social together until Laurey gets into a snit over a hot set of wheels (The Surrey with the Fringe on Top) that Curly wants but can’t deliver. That leaves the door open for Jud Fry, who works on Laurey’s farm and lusts after her.

Alex Honzen plays Jud with sensitivity that was in the script but not always emphasized. Jud is a loner with an inferiority complex who wants to be loved, despite his perverted orientation toward women. The dream ballet with Agnes de Mille’s original choreography captures all the desire and commitment-phobia in this love triangle.

As the play’s other would-be lovers, Kat Palardy has the comic facial expressions and moves for Ado Annie, “who can’t say no,” and Jackson Evans is a perfect foil as Will Parker, her equally flirty cowboy suitor. Peggy Roeder is Aunt Eller, the prototypical gutsy woman of the West.

Oklahoma! was called “the first real phenomenon,” as it ran 2,212 performances after its 1943 opening, when no Broadway play of the decade had gone over 500 shows, according to PBS online.

The play also brought together for the first time lyricist Oscar Hammerstein and composer Richard Rodgers, who put story and character development ahead of musical theatre conventions of the time. And it added de Mille’s ballet to the mix.

Light Opera Works Artistic Director Rudy Hogenmiller adds a philosophical note in the program. “This simple tale of love and community grabbed the hearts of a wartime America as nothing before.”

Sixty-five years after the play’s debut, people still stumble along towards love, the nation is at war again and “community” is an elusive goal.

It still rings true in Oklahoma, too, according to a centennial statehood email I received from family there, where many residents are in the Armed Forces.

When you smell cattle, think of money. And if every person in every pickup truck waves to you, “It’s called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.”

Cahn Auditorium is located at 600 Emerson St. on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston. Remaining performances are at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sat. Dec. 29, 2 p.m. on Sun. Dec. 30 and 8 p.m. on Mon. Dec. 31. Tickets range from $28 to $80; New Year’s Eve prices are $44 to $82.

To purchase tickets call 847.869.6300 or order online at LightOperaWorks.com.