Review: OKLAHOMA! at Georgetown Palace

I think it’s important to admit, OKLAHOMA! is one of my favorite musicals. As a child, it was one of the films that first enthralled me with musical theatre, though I hardly thought I’d become a part of any of that just a few years later as a teenager. I was smitten with Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones as the lovestruck pair, in this and CAROUSEL. It stuck with me. From Austin’s Zilker Summer Musical’s version with the inimitable Joe York as Jud to the Royal National Theatre’s production with Hugh Jackman as Curly, I try to view a production of this show any chance I can. Even the questionable deconstruction of the production on Broadway in 2019 piqued my interest, though I still can’t see how, stripped of its trademark stunning orchestrations, it’s OKLAHOMA! at all. It’s one of my “comfort musicals.”

So I was excited to head to Georgetown for their current production, now playing on the Springer Stage in the newly remodeled Palace Theatre. It’s a fitting place to revisit this beloved musical. Following devastating flooding earlier this year, Georgetown Palace Theatre's historic Springer Stage and auditorium have undergone a remarkable restoration. With refreshed seating, carpeting, and technical improvements, the beautifully renewed space is a testament to the generosity and determination of a community that clearly treasures its theatre. Celebrating its centennial this year, the Palace begins its second century with a gorgeous auditorium in which to experience live performance. And OKLAHOMA! is itself a landmark in American musical theatre history. Anecdotally, we won’t mention that this production also opened the weekend UT played OU this season. Ahem!

This OKLAHOMA! gives us a beautiful set by scenic designer Mel Edwards, wonderful lighting provided by Nick Vallee, and some beautiful costumes for the female cast by Erin Pena. And there’s talent to be had onstage as well. Matthew Hubble is a pleasant Curly, and Mara Marciglio brings strong vocals to her Laurie. Zoe Karahouni Peterson is an exuberant Ado Annie, and Jake Jordan gives us an appropriately brooding Jud. There’s lots of talent to be found in the smaller roles as well, and I appreciated the spirit behind Nathan Clemenson’s Andrew and Daisy Greggio’s Gertie. Especially noteworthy is Jenna Clayborn as Aunt Eller.

There’s promise in this production. OKLAHOMA! demands a great deal of its performers—excellent dance, believable acting, and soaring vocals. Taken alone, these elements can seem less coherent than they might when executed with consistency. When OKLAHOMA! broke new ground in 1943, it asked more of musical theatre than American audiences had come to expect. Song, dance, character, and story were no longer simply entertaining elements of a production, but essential parts of a cohesive narrative. Each served the other, moving the story forward in ways that would forever change the American musical. That integration is what makes OKLAHOMA! so remarkable, and what makes it such a demanding show to produce. Individual performances may shine, but ultimately, the musical must be more than a collection of talented performers and memorable songs. Its success depends on how beautifully all those elements come together, with an overarching commitment to its style. The production typically calls for anywhere from 30 to 40 performers to fully realize its dance sequences and vocal harmonies. That can be a challenge on smaller stages like the Springer.

Still, director Ron Watson and his cast have given Palace audiences an evening of entertainment that was enthusiastically received. And perhaps that’s part of the enduring charm of OKLAHOMA! More than 80 years after it first delighted audiences, its familiar characters, memorable songs, and irrepressible spirit continue to bring people together. What a pleasure that Georgetown’s beautifully renewed Palace Theatre is here to welcome them.

Oklahoma!
by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
directed by Ron Watson

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