Oklahom-huh? by Jacob Khabie

 Oklahom-huh?

By Jacob Khabie

Walking in to see Oklahoma!, the most untraditional choice I expected to see was the casting of a Black, trans woman as Ado Annie Carnes. I could not have been more wrong.

Oklahoma! tells the story of a small community in rural America, just before the establishment of the state of Oklahoma in 1907. A Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, director Daniel Fish preserves the original script and score but flips the staging entirely on its head. Marketing this show as “Not your mother’s Oklahoma!” is a severe understatement, as this radicalized version goes beyond any sensible expectations, creating what could be seen as a confusing yet thrilling masterpiece.

From the moment audience members take their seats, they are immersed into the world of Oklahoma!, watching all the action take place in what seems to be a community center. Laura Jellinek’s set is nearly bare, only decorated with a handful of chili pots, dozens of cases of beer, and about one hundred guns hanging from the walls. There are barely any entrances and exits for much of the first act, as “offstage” actors simply sit and watch the show with the audience. This creative staging worked for parts of the show, as it reinforced the idea of a strongly held community. However, it did create some awkwardness in moments where characters blatantly referenced other characters as if they were not sitting ten feet away. Aside from those moments, the community center format lent itself particularly well to the show and was a clever way to bring a simple set to life.

While the set remained static for most of the show, the stage was brought to life by Scott Zielinski’s lighting. Moments not spent in the community center are often moments of sexuality and intensity, punctuated by extreme lighting changes. This change of environment lent itself particularly well to the show, as it helped characterize key moments in the show, using well thought out and specific lighting motifs. A particularly well-done choice was the decision to have many of Jud’s (Christopher Bannow) scenes performed in a near-total blackout. Not only did this help emphasize the quality of Bannow’s voice acting, but it helped build on the discomfort and surrounding Bannow’s character. 

The one choice in Oklahoma! I disagree with the most would be the nine-minute long dream Ballet sequence at the top of Act 2. While the other choices in Fish’s revival staging feel informed and well thought out, the entire sequence felt like it was just there for shock value. While Gabrielle Hamilton (Lead Dancer) may be an exemplary dancer with amazing physicality, seeing her half-naked in a shirt that says “Dream baby dream” completely took me out of the time and place of Oklahoma!. The entire sequence, which supposedly shows Laurey’s (Sashia Hutchings) inner struggle, did not come off as such, but simply came off as Fish trying to confuse the audience as much as possible, using smoke, projections, and a line of boots that fell from the ceiling halfway through the sequence. Once the sequence is done, none of the motifs from it ever come up again, creating a missed opportunity for Fish’s directing and punctuating its uselessness within a show otherwise filled with many valuable and informed choices.

Oklahoma! was the first show to truly make me feel uncomfortable, a feat not easily accomplished. While I disagree with a handful of Fish’s choices, the overall show was a beautifully raw trip back to the early 1900s, punctuated by a talented cast and technical elements that ultimately work to support and progress the story. While this may be “Not your mother’s Oklahoma!”, this show is for the inner-adult in everyone.