Oklahoma! 2021-2022 National Tour — Page 4

Saw this in Chicago last night, it was my first experience with Oklahoma despite years of seeing shows. I saw it with two friends, both of whom are very familiar with theater (they're currently majoring in it).

First, I'll start with what I loved. I think Sis as Ado Annie was great, the humor landed well with the audience and "I Cain't Say No" brought the house down. The whole triangle between Annie, Will and Ali was hilarious, it seems like those actors really had the comedy down pat. Bannow as Jud was really incredible, he was absolutely terrifying in such a subtle way. Curly and Laurey fell a little bit flat to me, but I think that just might be the show and not the actors, because Sean and Sasha did a phenomenal job.

Now for the bad. First of all, I the confusion emanating from the audience was palpable. Lots of nervous giggles and "what the hecks" coming from around, including from me and my friends. The blackouts really brought the tension up, but it was also. quite jarring, Despite that, I think it was a good decision, it intrigued me and seemed to bring the stakes up.

But WHAT was the point of the camera during the song when Curly tries to convince Jud to kill himself? I racked my brain trying to figure out why that was happening, but I really couldn't come up with anything. Definitely weird, but I guess better than just having it all be done in the dark.

The Dream Ballet also was not my cup of tea, and it didn't seem to be anyone else's. Again, I don't know anything about the show, and I really didn't have any idea what the dance was supposed to represent. It did set the tone for the second act, but everyone around me was whispering and suppressing giggles the whole time.

The barren set made me think of a depressing frontier which I think was the point, but having all the actors onstage for most of the show threw me off at time. Particularly after Jud threatens Laurey and she asks to see Curly, it's revealed that Curly was there for the entire conversation, but then he acts like he wasn't. Not entirely sure what that was supposed to do.

Curly is a very sinister character in this production. I don't know if the song conving Jud to hang himself is supposed to be a joke in the original, but the serious tone was very odd (I enjoyed it, but some around me did not.) It seemed like a huge change from the tone of the first act. At the end of the show my friends pointed out to me that Jud never even technically does anything wrong: He's just creepy and vaguely threatening. The entire ending scene dialogue makes no sense with the way Curly kills Jud, we had to look up the original ending to make sense of it.

Despite my qualms, I'm always down for a modernization of a show and the experimental aspects were super interesting to watch. But as a first time Oklahoma-watcher, I'm not sure this production was my cup of tea: My friends likened it to a show that would be put on in a black box theater, like, "What if we did Oklahoma, but..... dark?"

I sorta liked this the first time I saw it (when I was very, very tired) at Circle in the Square. I absolutely loved it the second time. But this has been my concern about how it’ll be received on tour. Not only how a relatively intimate production will be received in large performing arts houses, but how this weirder, darker version will be received by audiences (season subscribers and not) that aren’t used to challenging productions like this being part of the touring season. I am especially concerned about how it’ll play here in Oklahoma City at the end of the month. I already have my second row center orchestra ticket, but I know that audiences will arrive expecting the old sentimentalized version of Oklahoma (both the state and the musical) and will be disappointed in anything else, even with a recent email championing:

"This is not your homespun 'Oklahoma!' Come ready for a radical new musical."

- Chicago Tribune

Still, I’m very glad this is part of our season package. My only concern is the killjoys around me verbally dampening my mood.

MrsSallyAdams said: ""Jud never even technically does anything wrong"

I haven't seen this production yet. But in the classic Oklahoma libretto Jud tries to stab Curly in the chest with a hidden knife ("The Little Wonder" and hints that he burned down the ranch of a previous employer. Do those moments happen here?"

You're right! I forgot about that part. Even so, it's kind of weird how it's done, but maybe it was just me. There wasn't a lot of tension at that point in the show, even knowing what Jud is trying to do, it feels more like a mean-spirited prank than an actual attempt at murder.

Leaf Coneybear said: "You're right! I forgot about that part. Even so, it's kind of weird how it's done, but maybe it was just me. There wasn't a lot of tension at that point in the show, even knowing what Jud is trying to do, it feels more like a mean-spirited prank than an actual attempt at murder."

I can’t speak to how (spoiler!) Jud’s death reads on your, but at CITS, it struck me this way:

In the original/traditional version as I recall (it’s been awhile), Jud’s death is perceived as a justified piece of vigilante street justice with (zero) consequences easily and lightly dispensed with without even formally involving the courts.

In this reimagined revival, it’s made clear that no matter how creepy Jud Is, his death isn’t justified. Still Curly gets away with it.

For me, this has clear parallels to our current day especially in states like my Oklahoma where vigilante justice is almost sentimentalized by many along with our open carry laws, stand your ground laws, harsh criminal penalties, and police/court corruption.

I’m going Saturday night. I’m sitting second row center orchestra, but from what I’m seeing of post-intermission reports, I could probably move up to front row after intermission. Lol. I just hope the sourpusses keep their remarks to themselves during the show.

Thanks for sharing! The review sounds positive until the last paragraph! I was there on Tuesday, and I didn't see half the audience leave at all. It was actually a different situation, with the audience enthusiastically clapping along (and many standing) with the song Oklahoma, even when it wasn't appropriate.

Caught the tour tonight in Oklahoma City. Having seen it twice on Broadway and loved it, I’m happy to say I loved it tonight too.

Everyone in the cast was very good, but my favorite three performances were Sasha Hutchings (Laurey), Sis (Ado Annie), and Hennessy Winkler (Will).

The second time I saw Oklahoma at Circle in the Square, Sasha played Ado Annie and while she was good, I still liked Ali better. But I really liked her interpretation of Laurey tonight.

Sis gotten the biggest applause during the show following I Cain’t Say No. Seeing that the role is played by a trans actress and Oklahoma isn’t exactly the most progressive, it really warmed my heart to see the enthusiastic applause for her. And while I suppose that a considerable part of the audience didn’t even know she was trans and I’d imagine audiences for touring shows are more progressive than the state in general, I still felt it was great that she got her big moment.

And while I don’t remember finding Will Parker overly sexy at CITS, for me Hennessy Winkler’s Will was the sexiest person on the stage tonight. He also had one of the funniest moments in the show as he was trying to do the math of how much he needed to sell the Little Wonder to Jud for to have his $50. As he continued to try to go thru math (a hilarious slow build), an audience member called out “$4.50”. When he was ready to tell Jud the selling price, he looked out in the direction of the audience member and made a motion as he said “3.50”. Lol.

I was worried how Oklahoma would react to this reimagined revival. I even heard an older couple behind me in line to enter the theater hoping they wouldn’t have to walk out. The man sitting next to me said people at his work had told him the public consensus on the show was 50/50. He told me at intermission he wasn’t liking it much (although his wife was). He thought it was probably his first time seeing an older show and was used to newer shows.

But overall I was impressed with what I could see of the audience reactions. Sure, during both “Pore Jud Is Daid” and the “Dream Ballet”, I saw the couples ahead of me looking at each other in puzzlement. I didn’t even notice any more extra seats after intermission. My biggest disappointment though was that during the Oklahoma finale, lots of people in the orchestra were walking out. And not just walking out through the mid-orchestra exits, but waking you the front of the orchestra and walking out right in front of the cast as they were performing. Rude!

I did speak to the young woman who tours with the show working the merch booth (they’ve added items as I recall over the limited items available at CITS so I went home poorer tonight) and she said they’d been worried how Oklahoma would receive this production and overall they’ve been pleasantly surprised with the reaction.

I was concerned about how the production would be adapted for the tour. I needn’t have worried. They’ve done a magnificent job. Only thing I noticed was when the boots fell during the Dream Ballet, the stage was so dark it was hard to see they were boots. As I was second row orchestra, maybe it was clearer from further away. So glad I got to see the revival one more time!

I’m so glad you posted! I’ve been curious how your Saturday night performance was. I went on Tuesday, and enjoyed it! The music and cast were great. I also went in a bit worried about how the audience would receive the performance, but on my night the audience really seemed to respond well, especially to Sis. (Funny, at intermission, I was discussing the Oklahoma audience’s reaction to a trans actress, and I found out that my own husband didn’t even notice that she was trans, so you may be right about the audience.) The one thing that was very awkward on my night was the audience’s very enthusiastic response to the actual song “Oklahoma.” They clapped along and stood both times, and it appeared to me that the cast was visible surprised. Since the second time they sing is supposed to be dark and a little ironic, the clapping and standing felt celebratory and inappropriate for the ending song. The walking out during the last song happened my night, too, but I wasn’t surprised. I am a member of the local Philharmonic, and I can say that this is the norm at the Civic Center. These OKC audiences do a “walking ovation,”so they can beat the crowd. Always strikes me as rude when I’m on stage. I don’t think audiences realize that the performers are actually observing them.

Now that I think about it, it’s not actually DURING the last number that I see people walk out of concerts at all. It’s actually during the applause. During the music is definitely much worse. I do agree that in this case they may have felt like it was sort of like an encore, and I have seen people walk out during encores, but they usually try to sneak out quickly then, and not from the front row!

I watched the first half last night in Detroit (I accidentally double booked and left after intermission to go to the Dua Lipa concert next door).

I absolutely loved it. I didn't know anything about the plot, so I found that part of Curly and Jud rather terrifying. I had to keep reminding myself that they didn't change the text because it left me wondering how they would play it off in the 'lighter' versions of this show because wow.

Not sure if they just did a terrible job of marketing here in Detroit, because even with the reduced number of shows, the orchestra wasn't filled much (despite it being a barn). Part of this could have been because it wasn't part of Broadway in Detroit. Considering it was a Friday night, I thought it would be more full. It makes me wonder what it's like for the cast to see it with the house lights on for a lot of the show. But the cast still gives it their all.

I could feel the tension in the audience. The show doesn't really make it clear when to applause, so there were awkward claps after songs, but the cast would go straight into book scenes. It wasn't until "Kansas City" that I think the audience connected with the show. "Cain't Say No" getting the best reaction.

I couldn't help but think about what an experience this was in CITC. I think the 360 element adds to the overall interactive and intimate experience of this show which is kind of lost in the proscenium version. And personally, I absolutely adore the edginess of it. I just don't know how it works as a tour if people aren't necessarily looking for edgy.

During intermission, I told the patrons next to me that I was only leaving because I was heading to the concert and not because I disliked the show. Apparently I wasn't the only one. But I'm watching it again today to get the full experience.

I meant to post about this on Monday, but life got in the way. I caught this this past Sunday in Detroit and I am so disappointed I messed this in New York. I have never seen a "traditional" Oklahoma so I didn't have anything to compare it too, and this really worked for me. The ending really delivered the way it was supposed to. My companion didn't like it at all, and didn't understand the setting. They thought it was a bar, and not a cookout/ community hall. Two things for me that I would have liked is; one, the overture. I love a good overture and while I understand why this production cut it I was still sad. Two, the adding and removal of props from the stage were done by what seemed to be a stage manager. It threw me every time he came out wearing all black and wearing the headphones with a mic, took me right out. During intermission I heard a comments ranging from "R&H are rolling in their graves" to "absolutely fantastic". The people sitting in front of me did not return for the second act. I heard a comment that the audience was only around 600 people, which in a 4k+ seat theatre must have been demoralizing for the cast, but I really feel they gave it their all, as true professionals.

Largely the same sentiment at tonight's performance in Providence - myself and one other couple were the only people left in my row (13 seats, 10 of which were full for act 1) after intermission. Almost the entire row in front of me left as well, and many more. I, honestly to my own surprise after reading reviews, was neutral-to-positive on the show itself, but there were some choices that stood out as really odd to me - I was not a fan of the staging of Poor Jud is Dead with the camera. Sasha Hutchings was great, and her acting in the finale really stood out to me as a highlight.

I saw the tour during its Buffalo stop a while back. I really liked the show on Broadway and I loved the tour. In some ways I found it more effective. The proscenium staging made it more cohesive for me. I always felt like I knew where to look.


In many ways I liked the tour cast better. I thought Barbara Walsh was quite a bit better than Mary Testa as Aunt Eller. Something about her interpretation felt more believable and less intellectual. There were little to no walkouts at my performance and you could hear a pin drop during the whole show (our audiences are notorious for talking during shows.) To me that inferred they were paying attention. Great applause and standing ovation at the end.


It really saddens me that people can’t just sit through a show they’ve paid for to get the whole experience. I’ve sat through the second act of many musicals I didn’t care for only to be surprised by a certain song or moment I liked that appeared in the second act. I hear many people say, “life is too short” to sit through something that they don’t like. An hour, really? Are you that busy?


I found the tour marvelous and wish I could see it again.