Who: American Rose Theatre

What: Presents Rodger's and Hammerstein’s Musical — Oklahoma!

When: July 20-21 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 2007 

Time:   8:00 pm

Where: Kit Carson Park Amphitheatre, Escondido CA

Purchase Tickets: www.AmericanRoseTheatre.com

Ticket Price: $10 to $15

The People and the Production: San Diego, Calif., June 6, 2007 — The American Rose Theatre (www.AmericanRoseTheatre.com) will present a revival of one of the most beloved musicals in American history, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, in recognition of a great landmark in American history: The centennial anniversary of Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907. The show will be on stage at Kit Carson Amphitheatre, an ideal venue for images of cowboys, farmers and rugged settlers of the West.

This production of Oklahoma! will give audiences an opportunity to experience some of the most recognized songs in the history of the stage in a wonderfully authentic setting, with a backdrop of the setting sun and the rolling chaparral hills. To enhance this atmosphere, attendees are invited to bring a picnic meal to enjoy on the lawn before the show, and slices of Julian apple pie will be available to add to the flavor of American tradition.

American Rose Theatre’s Oklahoma! features many of San Diego’s most talented up-and-coming actors, including Andrew Smith (Curly), Maeve Martin (Laurey), SDSU MFA graduate Eric Vest (Will Parker), Scott Farrell (Ali Hakim), Shawn Jones (Jud) and Amanda Kramer (Ado Annie), who was named one of San Diego’s “talents to watch for” by KPBS theater critic Pat Launer.

Director Doug Smith sees Oklahoma! not just as a celebration of the hardy American pioneer spirit, but also as a classic and timeless tale of drama and romance. “This is Romeo and Juliet set on the frontier,” Smith said. “The characters in this show all belong to two rival clans, the farmers and the cattlemen, each of whom has a conflicting view of the future of their territory. The relationship between Curly and Laurie is a reminder that their future as a state of the union hinges upon their ability to coexist peacefully. There is a lot at stake in this play.”

First staged in 1943, Oklahoma! transformed the face of the American stage, and changed the way audiences viewed musical theater. It was the first stage production to depict an authentic rural setting, and was the first to fully incorporate musical and dance numbers into the storytelling medium. Theater-goers were so delighted with these innovations that Oklahoma! ran for a record-breaking 2,000 performances, and it remains one of the most-performed stage musicals to this day.

Synopsis: In the Indian territory of Oklahoma, Curly, a cowboy, is in love with Laurey, a farm girl, but both are too proud and stubborn to show it. There is a rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys over fences and water rights, which leads to tension even in romance. The brooding and dark-hearted outsider, Jud Fry, a farm hand on Aunt Eller’s farm, has also set his sights on Laurey and asks her to a box social dance. She accepts to spite Curly. Meanwhile, cowboy Will Parker, returning from a trip to the relatively modern Kansas City, is upset that his girlfriend, Ado Annie, is flirting with other men. At the social, the farmers and ranchers reach an uneasy peace before the hamper auction begins. Curly outbids Jud for Laurey's basket. Jud becomes belligerent and is fired. Seeing Laurey in distress, Curly finally admits his love for her, and the two are married. At the wedding, a drunken Jud reappears and sparks a fight with Curly. In the scuffle, Jud falls on his own knife. Curley is exonerated in frontier trial, and everyone celebrates the news that the territory will become a state as Curley and Laurey depart on their honeymoon. Memorable musical numbers include “People Will Say We’re In Love,” “A Girl Who Cain’t Say No” and “Surrey With The Fringe On Top.”

The American Rose Theatre is a nonequity 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2003 for the purpose of creating and producing performing arts to serve San Diego’s North County and surrounding communities.