Oklahoma! at Chelsea Area Players

From June 12th-14th catch the Chelsea Area Players at the Ron Mead Auditorium for their production of Oklahoma! This ground-breaking musical of the Golden Age was the first collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Based on the play Green Grow The Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, this classic was one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most innovative works, setting the standards and rules of modern musical theatre. Propped up in the Western territory just after the turn of the 20th century, Curly (played by Elijah Boye), a strong-willed cowman, and Laurey (played by Lindsey Dodge), a proud farm girl, to play out their love story in the midst of a high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys. Their romantic story, twisting and turning along the road, contrasts with the comic hijinks of Ado Annie (Played by Marla Moore) and fun-loving Will Parker (Played by Crosby Slupe) in an iconic adventure embracing hope, determination and the promise of a new land.

Joining them on the new frontier is the strong and steady Aunt Eller (played by Pamela White), the hardened farmhand Jud (played by Michael Cicirelli) as well as a full ensemble consisting of Aaron Seymour, Audrey Garot, Ave Franzonello, Carrie Ausmus, Chloe Klink, Connor Dennis, Cordia Franzonello, Emma Woodard, Finley Nicholson, Harper Van Orman, Jacob Hackett, Jennifer Klink, Jessica Ligi, Joshua Gregory, Kate Garot, Katelyn Hackett, Liam Thompson, Linda Smith, Mackenzie Molnar, Maxwell Short, Michael Cunliffe, Nick Behnke, Noah Seymour, Ray Houle, Rob Martin, Rock Thompson, Ryan Houle, Sarah Burrell, Sophie Bellizzi, and Steven Cattell. This full cast is led in Vocal Direction by Ken Davis and Assistant Vocal Director, Katelyn Hackett.

Choreographer of the production, Meredith Nelson, has developed the show in partnership with Michelle Quenon of Ballet Chelsea, and will feature Abigail Garrison, Emily Schaefer, Fern Arnold, Jane Grocoff, Kayleigh Deacon, Lucas Thacher, Soledad Beck, Sylvia Dell, Tommy Munroe, and Yen Nhi Cook-Nguyen.

Directed by Rachel Slupe, and Assistant Directed by Anna Carter, the show will take place at Chelsea High School’s Ron Mead Auditorium, located at 740 N. Freer Road, Chelsea, MI. Join us on Friday, June 12th, and Saturday, June 13th at 7pm, as well as Sunday, June 14th at 2pm for this lively, memorable musical full of cowboys, farmers, romance and fearless optimism. Tickets are $25 each and available at https://chelseaareaplayers.org or will be available at the door.