āOklahoma!ā to come āsweepinā down the plainā at MSU next week
Contact: Georgia Clarke
STARKVILLE, Miss.āTo conclude the 52nd season of its theatre program, Ā鶹“«Ć½ Stateās communication department is presenting the ever-popular musical āOklahoma!ā
The Thursday-Saturday [April 21-23] performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at the universityās McComas Hall mainstage.
General admission is $10 for adults; $5 for children. Purchases may be made online at or at the door.
Rodgers and Hammersteinās first collaboration remains, in many ways, their most innovative, having set the standards and established the rules of musical theatre still being followed today.
Set in a Western Indian territory just after the turn of the century, the high-spirited rivalry between local farmers and cowboys provides the colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Although the road to true love never runs smooth, with these two headstrong romantics holding the reins, loveās journey is as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road. That they will succeed in making a new life together the audience has no doubt, and that this new life will begin in a brand-new state provides the ultimate climax to the triumphant āOklahoma!ā
The playās title tune is among five that became national standards. āOh, What a Beautiful Mornin,āā āSurrey with the Fringe on Top,ā āPeople Will Say Weāre in Loveā and āKansas Cityā are the others.
āāOklahoma!ā is an American classic,ā said Theatre MSU director Tim Matheny. The ātightly woven music, dialogue and danceā help carry a storyline that āwas groundbreaking for its time,ā the assistant communication professor added.
A fine arts graduate of William Carey College (now University) and the University of Louisville, Matheny said the production marks the culmination of his first year with MSUās communication department.
āI couldnāt be happier to be here,ā he said. āThe collaboration with these talented students and amazing colleagues has been a true blessing.ā
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