Here at bocamag.com we usually leave the theater reviews to our crack arts and entertainment editor, John Thomason. But in this particular case, I felt I had to step in. The Wick was mounting a production of “Oklahoma!” And I could not resist.
I grew up with these musicals. My patents saw “South Pacific” on Broadway on their honeymoon in New York. They had LPs of “Oklahoma!” and “Flower Drum Song” and “The King and I” and “West Side Story” and “Carousel” and that was way back, when I was maybe 9 or 10. I saw all the movies and memorized all the songs and I am sure the story lines completely colored my world view of love and destiny—which is tragic of course, as real life has absolutely no resemblance to Bali Ha’i, no one is younger than springtime forever, and the cowboys and the farmers are still not the best of friends.
Still, there was real magic in those musicals—pathos, humor, innocence, energy—a sense of post World War America at its best—and the Wick production of “Oklahoma!” captured all of that. Ian Parmenter as Curly and Lindsey Bliven as Laurey sounded as least as good as Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones—and Missy McArdle as Aunt Eller nailed it. Shane Tanner was an excellent Poor Jud, and Alex Jorth as Will Parker nearly stole the show. They—and the earnest can-do vigor of the Oklahoma territory—came to life on the stage. You could see young and old alike tapping knees, singing along softly under their breath, transported to a time and a story with neatly defined values of decency and community and young love and hopeful tomorrows. It was Rogers & Hammerstein’s first collaboration—and the debut of this country’s golden age of musical theater.
It’s easy for a community theater production to look like one, but in this case, the Wick nailed it. Director Norb Joerder was largely faithful to the Agnes deMille choreography, but with a shorter dream sequence ballet (Bravo—I always thought this slowed down the show) and only 12 dancers, which played like a much larger ensemble. The set was perfect, the music timeless, and there’s just not a bad seat in the house.
Am I gushing? Maybe. People will say I’m in love? Possibly. At any rate, go now—indulge yourself. The production runs through April 26.
The Wick Theater
7901 N. Federal Highway
561/995-2333
