Oklahoma City, OK – On Tuesday, June 26th, Lyric Theatre opens its 2007 summer season of musicals at the Civic Center Music Hall with the Official Centennial Production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, a show that will prove to be Lyric’s grandest production of all time. Oklahoma! plays from June 26th – July 1st.
Lyric’s production stars two-time Tony Award Nominee and Oklahoma native Kelli O’Hara as Laurey Williams. O’Hara received her first Tony Award nomination for her performance as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza, and the second for her performance as Babe Williams The Pajama Game, where she starred alongside Harry Connick, Jr.
Kelli O'Hara was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, spent her elementary school days in Elk City, and then attended Deer Creek High School in Edmond. O’Hara then studied voice with the legendary Florence Birdwell at Oklahoma City University and graduated with a Bachelor's of Music in vocal performance/opera. Kelli’s career immediately took off with Broadway turns in Jekyll & Hyde, Sondheim’s Follies, and Sweet Smell of Success. She has also performed on Broadway in Dracula.
O’Hara will be joined on stage by fellow Broadway performers Will Chase (High Fidelity, Lennon) as Curly, Robert Hunt (Les Misérables) as Jud Fry, Courtney Balan (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change) as Ado Annie, Melinda Tanner as Aunt Eller, and Tony nominee John Selya (Movin’ Out) as Dream Curly. Nathaniel Shaw will play the role of Will Parker, and Amir Arison will appear as Ali Hakim.
Also included in the fifty-person cast are dozens of Oklahomans who hail from across the state, some who have been performing with Lyric for years, and others who will call this show their first. Oklahomans in featured roles include Addie Tomlinson as Dream Laurey, Heather Hawkins as Gertie Cummings, and Jonathan Beck Reed as Andrew Carnes. In the ensemble, Oklahoma City native Robert Windsor will also perform, in a salute not only to talent, but also to history. Mr. Windsor performed the role of Dream Curly in the 1963 production, which was the first show in Lyric’s inaugural year.
Family ties also play a big part in this special Lyric production. Performing together in the ensemble for the first time in Lyric history are three generations of one talented Oklahoma family. John W. Steele, who has performed in over fifty productions with various Oklahoma theatres, will share the stage with his daughter Cyndi Steele-Harrod, his son-in-law Christopher Harrod, and his grandsons Dalton and Kellan Harrod. The Steele-Harrods are from Edmond, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma! opened on Broadway in 1943 and was the very first of many successful collaborations between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. The title song was officially designated as the Oklahoma state song in 1953, and the tradition of standing and singing it with pride is thread into Oklahoma’s culture.
Lyric’s Centennial Production of Oklahoma! will be directed by Artistic Director Nick Demos, while a team of Oklahoma choreographers will blend their talents to create the show’s rich and beautiful movement. This group includes Demos, CeCe Farha, Lyn Cramer, Amy Reynolds-Reed and Ashley Stover Wells. Music direction will be provided by Maestro Joel Levine. Scenery design is by Michael Schweikardt, costume design by Jeffrey Meek, lighting by Helena Kuukka, and sound by George Ryan.
Oklahoma! will run from June 26th through 30th, with an added performance on Sunday July 1st, at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown Oklahoma City. The Sunday performance was added due to the overwhelming demand for tickets. “Oklahomans are expecting a thrilling celebration of “their” musical,” says Demos, “and with this cast and production team, they will not be disappointed.”
Tickets for Oklahoma! are priced from $20 to $50. Senior discounts (ages 65+), Student discounts (ages 18 and under), and Group discounts (20+) are also available. Show times are Tuesday – Saturday at 8:00pm, Saturday matinee at 2:00pm, and a Sunday performance at 6:00pm. For tickets: www.lyrictheatreokc.com, (405) 524-9312, 1-800- 364-7111, or in person at 1727 NW 16th St, Oklahoma City, OK.
Lyric’s production of Oklahoma! is sponsored by Chesapeake Energy Corporation, The Oklahoman, Kirkpatrick Foundation, Inc., American Airlines, AT&T Oklahoma, Coppermark Bank, Dorchester Capital, MidFirst Bank, SandRidge Energy, and Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Stores. Valuable support was also given by Allied Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Oklahoma Centennial Commission.
Operating since 1963, Lyric Theatre is Oklahoma’s only professional musical theatre company. The 2007 season continues with productions of Evita, Singin’ In The Rain, Once On This Island, and a special add-on production of Disney’s High School Musical. Call (405) 524-9312 for more information or visit www.lyrictheatreokc.com.
