Oklahoma!!

apologies for the blurry photo - but you can see the set nicely!

On Friday night, my friend Rose & I went to see the RHS production of Oklahoma!


I was especially interested in seeing it, since it's the same musical I was in during my Senior year in High School at OVHS. Diana's friend, Becki, had the same role I played; chorus. I don't know if she sang alto or not.


It was fun for me to get to hum along the same notes I sang almost 30 years ago (wow!).


The big differences in this show: 1) all the costumes were rented. 2) there was a LOT more kissing. 3) there was a lot more dancing.


I have vivid memories of trying to sew my dress, and help my friend Cindy with hers, until my mom got so frustrated with our feeble attempts that she took over and finished them for us. The fabric had to be inexpensive, and so we wound up with curtain fabric which was not very comfortable, and the seams ripped easily since it was a weave and not a knit. Add to that my misjudging my size (I was going to lose weight!), and my poor dress was lucky it held together for 3 weekends of performances!


I don't remember ANY lip contact at all in our production. Now, in this one the other night, it turns out the gal playing Ado Annie (who gets a lot of kissing in) is actually in a relationship (according to Facebook) with the guy whom she kissed the most, so that's not a biggie. I don't know if the leads were also dating while doing the show. That sort of thing happens in high school musicals :P


Finally, our chorus didn't do any dancing. We sang a lot, but we didn't dance with anyone. These kids all did a polka for the girl/guy dances, and the guys had a little line-dancing looking thing they'd done at the beginning of the show as well. I was impressed!


I don't recall all the lifts either, in our show. Some chorus girls were hoisted up on some guys shoulders to sing the finale. And I really don't remember as much of a fight scene in the dream sequence. The kids in this one were throwing each other across the stage! It was very exciting!


I guess my only complaint would have to be the lighting, and the sound. This is kind of the bane of RHS productions - maybe I'm just spoiled having grown up in So. Cal where so many kids were so into tech theater? I don't know. It bugs me when I can't understand the lead when she's talking, or see part of the cast when they're just out of the spotlight.


Still, it was a great effort & I'm always happy to support our local high school, community college & community theater. I certainly hope Becki continues with her acting, because it looked like she had a blast :)