Oklahoma! was the first musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs, the musical is set in Oklahoma Territory in 1906 and follows the love triangle of cowboy Curly McLain, farm girl Laurey Williams and hired hand Jud Fry.
The original Broadway production opened in 1943 and ran for a then unprecedented 2,212 performances. It spawned an Academy Award-winning film adaptation in 1955, has enjoyed multiple revivals, and has become a staple of school and community productions since its debut.
Many of the songs written specifically for the show have become popular standards, including "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'", "I Cain't Say No" and the title song "Oklahoma."
References
- In Episode 0716 of Sesame Street, the Count shows Luis his Countmobile, pointing out the antenna with the bat on top, briefly singing the words to the tune of "Surrey with the Fringe on Top."
- In a Season 20 sketch on Sesame Street, Kermit the Frog is directing Oklahoma! starring Forgetful Jones, who forgets the starting vowel in the first word of the title song, substituting "Aklahoma!," "Eeklahoma!," and "Iklahoma!" instead. When he finally does get it right, the cast has to take a lunch break before they can continue.
- In episode 102 of Muppets Tonight, Garth Brooks cancels his duet of "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" with Miss Piggy to perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet instead.
- In Elmo's World: Feet, the Feet Channel tells viewers to stay tuned for Toe-klahoma.
- In the book Before You Leap, Kermit states that he headlined in an all-amphibian version of the classic musical "Croaklahoma."
- In Episode 4426 of Sesame Street, Stinky the Stinkweed sings a line of a song that parodies the titular number ("Oh Sheboygan, where the bus swerves in and out of lanes!").
- A social media post promoting Sesame Street: The Musical depicts a poster of Elmo and Gladys the Cow in a production of "Elmoklahoma!"
Connections
- Eddie Albert played Ali Hakim in the 1955 film adaptation
- Justin Bohon played Will Parker in the 2002 Broadway revival
- Barbara Cook played Ado Annie Carnes in the 1953 Broadway revival
- Florence Henderson played Laurey in the 1953 Broadway revival
- Hugh Jackman played Curly in the 1999 Great Performances broadcast
- Shirley Jones played Laurey in the 1955 film adaptation
- Andrea Martin played Aunt Eller in the 2002 Broadway revival
- John Raitt played Curly McLain in the 1944 national tour
- Ali Stroker played Ado Annie Carnes in the 2019 Broadway revival
- Mary Wickes played Aunt Eller in the 1979 Broadway revival
