The setting of the Oklahoma Territory inspired a grand slam musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. OK! It was the setting and the earlier Lynn Riggs play called Green Grow the Lilacs. This was the first musical for the future great duo and they really gave a lot of flash and awe over an old story with a different ending. The first play written with the Oklahoma theme was not a hit but Rodgers and Hammerstein made some great changes and it is still a top rated musical performed all over the world today.

Rodgers originally worked with Lorenz Hart and together they wrote some amazing songs like Blue Moon, The Lady is a Tramp, Falling in Love with Love and My Funny Valentine. When approached to do a project from the old Riggs play Hart didn’t want to have anything to do with it so Rodgers looked to Hammerstein to make it happen. Hammerstein’s original partner also refused to work on the project so that made a perfect fit for Rodgers and Hammerstein to take it on. They wrote the play and then cast singers who could act which was unusual for those days. They performed it in a small venue and then made some changes like adding the show stopper hit number Oklahoma and changing the name to Oklahoma and then opened it on Broadway in March 1943.

If you like show tunes maybe it would be fun to get the soundtrack to take with you while you drive around Oklahoma staying at luxurious hotels www.hotelsoklahoma.net singing classic songs like Oh What a Beautiful Mornin, Kansas City, It’s a Scandal! Its and Outrage!, People Will Say We’re in Love and Oklahoma song by all. If you know the musical you  can appreciate the references made about the show in other shows and industry fields like the popular South Park episode Bigger, Longer and Uncut. Meg Ryan and Billy Chrystal sing a karaoke version of Surrey With the Fringe on Top in the hit film When Harry met Sally.

Oklahoma the Show is a post from: Your Moment is Now

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