Cowboys can dance if they want to in ‘Oklahoma!’ Photo by Jana Marcus.
Cabrillo Stage’s production of Oklahoma! is a testament to the theatre company’s ability to reach the heights of a fully-integrated musical masterpiece. Set in the Oklahoma frontier on the cusp of statehood, the plot revolves around an animated cast of local farmers and cowhands navigating love’s complicated waters in their idyllic community. Naysayers who claim that Rodgers & Hammerstein are not for them should prepare to leave the theatre with light hearts and sappy grins on their faces. This show is outstanding.
First off, the performances are all top notch. Matthew J. Taylor commands the stage from the opening “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” with macho bravado as a cowhand in love with the beautiful and stubborn Laurey, played sweetly and expertly by Emily M. Marsilla. The chemistry between these two characters makes the traditional love story convincing. Vanessa Vazquez is unendingly charming as the flirtatious Ado Annie opposite Jordan Sidfield’s idiot-with-a-heart-of-gold Will Parker. Sassy no-nonsense Aunt Ellen (Alice Hughes) is a peach, and roguish peddler Ali Hakim’s (Andrew Ceglio) affectations are hilarious. Kevin Johnston’s nuanced performance of the vulnerable and vindictive farmhand Jud Fry is captivating, and at times downright scary.
The skill of the supporting cast really takes this production to another level. The bar is set pretty high in this masterpiece, and the audience is not left wanting. Director and choreographer Kikau Alvaro must be commended for translating movement into storytelling, most obviously in the ensemble’s performance of the classic Dream Sequence ballet. Other numbers worth humming for days post-performance are “Kansas City,” “I Cain’t Say No!” and, of course, the title song.
The set design is beautiful, with the off-kilter angles and rich colors adding an element of fantasy. And it’s a treat for the ears to hear Roger and Hammerstein’s immortal songs rendered by such a skillful orchestra, under the masterly conducting of Jon Nordgren.
Cabrillo Stage’s production of Oklahoma! is an endlessly fun, rich staging of the musical that changed all musicals.
'Oklahoma!' runs through Aug. 18 at Crocker Theater in Aptos.
