Gold Coast review: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!­: Oh, what a beautiful musical

By Douglas Kennedy

Original Dances by Agnes DeMille.

Gold Coast Little Theatre. Directed/Choreographed by Lucy Martin, Vocal Direction by David Valks, Choreography by Natalie Cassaniti. Featured players Noa Fogarty, Isabella Wiesenthal, Louise Thorpe, Jake Stubbs, Elysium Hipwood, Torrek Elbeb, Ashley Williams. By permission ORiGIN Theatrical on behalf of R. & H. Theatricals. For booking www.gclt.com.au Tel: 07 5532 2096. Season ends on December 6.

Photo by Clay English from Vargo Studios.

Composer Richard Rodgers & book writer and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II dominated the American musical theatre in the 1940s and ‘50s, in much the same way as The Beatles stunned the ‘60s music world.

Rodgers had created a string of hit shows with lyricist Lorenz Hart when, in the early 1940s, he began looking around for a new partner as his old one was burnt out and dying.

In turn Hammerstein had some top shows under his belt, including the groundbreaking 1927 musical masterpiece Show Boat.

Together in 17 short years, until Hammerstein died in 1960, there were destined to re-shape the Broadway musical and give it a new maturity beginning with an adaptation of Lynn Riggs’s 1931 play Green Grow the Lilacs.

With some substantial changes that opened in 1943 as Oklahoma! and ran for a record breaking 2,212 performances as well as winning a swag of awards, including a special Pulitzer Prize in 1944 and becoming an Oscar-winning film in 1955.

There have been multiple revivals since then – including one with Hugh Jackman for the Royal National Theatre in London’s West End in 1998 – and now it has come to The Gold Coast Little Theatre.

This wonderful show has a historic pedigree, but the Gold Coast Little Theatre has given the community a production of which we can be proud.

If the company’s 2025 season were a Christmas tree this end of season production would be the fairy princess sitting on top.

That’s not to disparage this prestigious 75^th anniversary year of good productions, including The Crucible, Titanic: The Musical and the home-grown Divorce Party among others.

Oklahoma!, which boasts a cast of 20 and a technical crew of more than 40 (as well as front of house volunteers), is a celebration of the highest community theatre standards.

This story of the birth of Oklahoma territory in the early twentieth century has attracted a largely youthful cast of highly energenised performers working with experienced veterans.

The singing and dancing are inspired as the story of cowboy Curly McClain (Noa Fogarty) and his true love Laurey Williams (Isabella Wiesenthal) unfolds in the shadow of the would-be suitor, malevolent farm hand Jud Fry (Jake Stubbs).

Mirroring our romantic leads are the wiry fun-loving Will Parker (Torrek Elbeb) and his flirty may-be bride Ado Annie (Elysium Hipwood).

Annie is the girl, ‘Who Cain’t Say No’ (her signature song), and is equally smitten with the lustful colourful Persian peddler Ali Hakim (Ashley Williams).

Meanwhile, overlooking these romantic adventures is the solid and reliable Aunt Eller (Louise Thorpe), who is the show’s voice of reason.

And overlooking the whole production, with logistical precision, is director Lucy Martin, who has achieved a personal golden milestone.

One of the triumphs of the Rodgers & Hammerstein experience was the development of the ‘book musical’, in which the singing and dancing are integrated into a compelling story.

So, the musical items are as vital as the narrative and among the most well-known are the curtain raiser Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, I Cain’t Say No, People Will Say We’re in Love, Jud’s song, Poor Jud is Dead, The Farmer and the Cowboy, and Oklahoma.

The ensemble was a winner, while outstanding vocal performers included Noa Fogarty (Curly), Isabella Wiesenthal (Laurey) and rich baritone Jake Stubbs (Jud).

In the general performance department, the wiry Torrek Elbeb (Will) and outrageous Elysium Hipwood (Annie) were stand-outs. The two could both sing and dance as well provide a terrific comic counterbalance to the main love story.

Then there was one other standout star in the show, that will no doubt become a resident feature in many GCLT productions to come.

That’s a new piece of top-hotch state-of-the-art laser technology, which gave the backdrop an authentic quality, complete with waving corn, moving clouds and some stunning heart-shaped images in the 15-minute Dream Ballet.

This addition to GCLT’s technical equipment needs to be seen to be truly appreciated.

The GCLT reports that the season is selling fast and those planning to catch the show need to book tickets now.

Note: Rogers & Hammerstein created nine shows as a team and none were commercial or critical flops, but the five most successful were: Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel! (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951) and the Sound of Music (1959).