Review Roundup: OKLAHOMA! at the Engeman

The John W. Engeman Theater announces the cast and creative team for OKLAHOMA! Performances begin on Thursday, May 11 at 8:00pm and run through Sunday, June 25, 2017.

This is the show that set the standard for all future musicals by incorporating music, lyrics and dance into a well-crafted serious story. OKLAHOMA! spins the tale of the high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys in the Indian territory of Oklahoma at the turn of the twentieth century. This provides a colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Nominated for Seven Tony Awards and winner of a Pulitzer Prize, it's filled with some of the most recognized songs in theatre, including "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "People Will Say We're in Love," and of course, the resounding "Ok-la-hom-a."

Let's see what the critics have to say!

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BroadwayWorld (Melissa Giordano): Kaitlyn Davidson splendidly portrays Laurey, a sassy, independent farmgirl working on her Aunt Eller's ranch. Ms. Davidson makes a great Laurey with a fiery disposition and head strong demeanor. Speaking of Aunt Eller, Jane Blass is terrific in the role of the respected community leader. Her one liners bring many laughs. Bryant Martin portrays Curly, a cowboy who is in love with Laurey. Ms. Davidson and MR. Martin make a great team especially when they adorably tease each other when we first meet them. Jud, a worker on Aunt Eller's farm, is portrayed by Nathaniel Hackmann in a return engagement to the Engeman. Jud is very mysterious... a loaner; and he is exceedingly enamored by Laurey. Mr. Hackmann's intense and chilling take on Jud is superb. Also a highlight is Danny Gardner as Persian peddler Ali Hakim who brings many laughs throughout the show. And Brianne Kennedy is also stellar as the sweet, but ditzy (and easy), Ado Annie.

Newsday (Steve Parks): Before its debut in 1943, only one other Broadway musical, Jerome Kern and Hammerstein's "Show Boat" in 1927, presented songs in the context of a well-developed story line - a concept now known as the book musical. Its 15-minute dream ballet choreographed by Agnes De Mille broke new ground, integrating dance into plot and character - in this case, Laurey, who struggles with her feelings for two suitors of opposite dispositions, Curly and Jud. At the Engeman, Laurey is played by Kaitlyn Davidson, seen on Broadway in "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It," based on the Gershwin songbook. She's joined by Bryant Martin, who's played Curly in regional theaters coast to coast, and Nathaniel Hackmann, who just completed the dual "Jekyll and Hyde" title role at Engeman.

DC Metro Theatre Arts (Kristen Weyer): The cast of this production is phenomenal. Bryant Martin is a wonderful Curly. His cheeky grin and confident swagger bring his charming cowboy character to life. His fantastic voice reverberates throughout the theater from his opening number of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' " directly into "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," and straight through to the "Oklahoma!" finale. The famous duet "People Will Say We're in Love" between Curly and Laurey, played to perfection by Kaitlyn Davidson, is an absolutely lovely addition to the performance, played with just the right combination of humor and tenderness. Davidson's beautiful soprano also rings out in "Many a New Day," while her exquisite facial expressions and body language competently portray her character's emotions.

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