‘Oklahoma!’ opens next week at Shelter Island School

One sure sign of spring — and always a very welcome one — is the annual production of the Shelter Island School Drama Club. This year it’s the Rodgers and Hammerstein award-winning musical, “Oklahoma!,” directed by John Kaasik, and performed by a cast of more than 30 seventh through 12th graders with another 10 students crewing backstage.

“Oklahoma!” opens on Thursday night, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium and will be performed on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. with a final matinée performance on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The musical was first performed on Broadway in 1943; it was an instant success and set a record, running for over five years. The story is based on a 1931 novel by Lynn Riggs, “Green Grow the Lilacs,” and it tells a tale of cowhands and farmers finding love and a sense of community in the Oklahoma territory of the early 1900s.

Laurey, an independent young woman, runs her aunt’s farm and is courted by two very different young men: Curly, a brash cowboy, and Jud, a surly, rather threatening farmhand. Her journey to find the man of her dreams in many ways underscores the journey of the territory towards the future of statehood.

Mr. Kaasik was asked this week why he chose “Oklahoma!” “[It] is a very well crafted musical that has it all, an engaging plot line, a great score, some intense dramatic moments and a lot of humor,” he said. “It is nestled in an atmosphere of hope and the joy of feeling alive in a less complicated world.

“One of the elements of the show I found very appealing was the dream sequence. Laurey falls asleep in a field and dreams about her life and all the beautiful and frightening paths it might take. This is done with dancers to an orchestrated medley of the music from the show.”

A full orchestra — a dozen musicians under the musical direction of Keith Brace — will perform the songs that have become classics of the musical theatre: “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “Surrey With a Fringe On Top,” “Pore Jud Is Daid,” “People Will Say We’re in Love,” not to mention the title song itself.

This isn’t only a student production. Community volunteers have put in hours designing and painting sets, choreographing and rehearsing the dance numbers, coaching the actors and singers and working on costumes and props. Others will take care of make-up and hair, handle publicity and ticket sales, run the lights and stage manage.

Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for students and can be purchased in the school lobby, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. You can reserve seats by calling Lisa or Jerry at 749-0302, extension 500 or 0, but try to pick up your tickets prior to opening night.

Some theatre-goers may want to be aware that three of the female roles have been double cast — both casts are very evenly balanced, Mr. Kaasik emphasized. On Thursday and Saturday, Lea Gianbrumo will play Aunt Eller; Ariana Loriz, Laurey; and Tara Sturges, Ado Annie. On Friday and Sunday, Jillian Calabro is cast as Aunt Eller; Morgan McCarthy, Laurey; and Lisa Kaasik, Ado Annie.

“The kids (and adults) have worked very hard on this demanding musical and I believe their efforts will pay off,” Mr. Kaasik said. Don’t miss this chance to see for yourselves next week.