Some thoughts on Papermill's Oklahoma

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:16am

-I've never before seen a production of Oklahoma that was so lifeless.

-Brynn O'Malley and Adam Monley are good actors, but couldn't they have found good actors with really excellent voices? I know they had Matt Bogart lined up, and he'd have been great, but this was all they could muster up to replace him with?

-Someone needs to tell Megan Sikora that her part is supposed to be funny.

-Brian Sears (Will), Andrew Varela (Jud), and Jonathan Brody (Ali Hakim) are the highlights of this production, particularly Sears.

-Why is Louisa Flanigham playing Aunt Eller like she has down syndrome?

-How come the drawing on the Playbill looks like nothing like the two actors playing the leads?

-The choreography was dull and would have been much more exciting if Patti Columbo had not dropped out (anyone know the story behind that one??).

-I've seen high schools come up with a better transition from Laurey to Dream Laurey than this production did.

-A good chunk of act 1 dragged tonight, which only happens in poor productions of this show.

-There were a lot of kids and families in the audience tonight, which I suspect is because the only way to get tickets to High School Musical is by buying a subscription. The run of that show is otherwise sold out.
Updated On: 10/5/08 at 12:16 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:36am

How did they do the transition from Laurey to Dream Laurey?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:47am

Laurey slowly moved stage right as Dream Laurey entered from stage left, mimicking her movements.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:56am

Did they give Anthony Ward a credit in the program for the scenery design that they copied from his work on the Broadway and RNT revival?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:59am

Yes, actually. He's credited with the original set and costume design. Michael Allen is credited with the "set coordination and additional design."

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 1:04am

Ah, well at least there's some decency left.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 1:08am

Ugh, the sets were the only thing I didn't like about the recent revival. Why would anyone "borrow" them?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 12:11pm

They also credit Agnes DeMille with the original choreography, which has been done in every production of Oklahoma I've ever seen, save for Stroman's. Is that a requirement with the R&H organization (like it is with the Jerome Robbins choreography in WSS)??

[Jon]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 2:41pm

You have the option of using the DeMille choreography or not. R&H has a guide book, and, I believe, an instructional video.

I saw a recent comminity theatre version that totally ripped off Stroman's staging - badly.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 3:04pm

Brynn O'Malley has a beautiful voice (or at least she did when I saw her in Arena Stage's production of She Loves Me a couple of years ago). I have yet to see a production of this show that I actually like. Although the score is wonderful, the book seems to drag this show down.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 3:15pm

I can't stand productions that use a different Curly and Laurie for the dream ballet. I saw Stroman's first so I guess it ruined me for other interpretations. I haven't seen the DeMille choreography, but I can't imagine it being so difficult that they can't find two triple threats. Especially these days. Has that always been the excuse?

[PlayhouseBeauty]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 3:33pm

I saw the show on opening night and thought it was ok. I have never seen a production on Oklahoma so I dont have anything to compare it to. I loved the actors in the show. I thought Brynn and Adam were amazing, but the stand out for me was Jonathon Brody. He was just so funny. The winkest link of the cast for me was Megan Sikora. I dont know what it was about her but by the end of every scene she was in I had a headache. All in all, I think Papermill can do so much better! I have seen them do so much better!

**Just in case anyone was wondering there are still some seats here and there left for Papermill's production of High School Musical and you dont have to buy a subscription! :) **

[SimplyDeLovely]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 8:35pm

I can't stand productions that use a different Curly and Laurie for the dream ballet.

I laugh when I think about that, because Brynn had to do her own dream ballet when she played Laurie in high school.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 10:15pm

"I haven't seen the DeMille choreography, but I can't imagine it being so difficult that they can't find two triple threats. Especially these days. Has that always been the excuse?"

Well, for Laurey, they didn't have an easy time finding a double threat to do Stroman's choreography in that production. Josefina Gabrielle's singing was merely adequate (and some people didn't think it was that) and she looked a little old to be playing the role, at least by the time the production got to Broadway.

Except for Susan Watson at City Center in the '60s, I don't know of any Laurey who also danced the ballet in a major professional production using the DeMille choreography. (That doesn't mean there haven't been others that I don't know about.) The DeMille choreography is very tough.

Have you ever seen the movie? DeMille choreographed it, though it's a bit different from the stage version.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 10:25pm

I've yet to see an enjoyable production of OKLAHOMA!. The last revival didn't do it for me; I don't have patience for the movie...

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 10/5/08 at 11:14pm

Well back then you didn't have to be a triple threat. They had separate groups for dancers and singers. Most leads in shows didn't need to have any significant dancing ability, and any dancing was left to the chorus. Times have changed.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 12:15am

I wish it were still that way
Then, I wouldn't even have to worry about making MT my career.

[8thAveObserver]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:17pm

If anyone is interested we did an interview with Megan Sikora about this.
Megan Sikora interview

[rich.hanson59]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 6:50am

Re: Patti Columbo
She came down with neumonia a week before the show went into rehearsals, and recommended this choreographer (name escapes me). This comes from the artistic director af Papermill at a talkback.

I personally thought that Megan Sikora was the highlight of the show.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 6:56am

Brian Sears is as cute as a button.

I saw him as Barnaby in Papermill's HELLO, DOLLY! and he was a total joy to watch.

I'm sorry to hear this production is a bore.

Have people come to expect much more from Papermill?