PBS is going to show the Trevor Nunn version of Oklahoma with Hugh Jackman. Now ordinarily I am not a fan of Rodgers & Hammerstein, (I prefer Cole Porter) but I will make an exception if Wolverine is going to be singing “Surrey with a fringe on top”
I think I remember reading in the Helene Hanff book Underfoot in Show Business, an account of her working with a press agent to print releases for the troublesome show that kept changing its name until they wound up with Oklahoma!, and she thought it was going to be doomed.
12:42 pm on November 19th, 2003 1
Generally I agree with your opinion of R&H, but the original film version of Oklahoma! is one of the great screen musicals, and I am circumspect, oh yes, circumspect (if you catch the Music Man reference) about the prospects for a quality remake.
This is no strike against Jackman, of course. They just don’t make film musicals like they used to. Modern producers really seem to prefer relying on editing rather than on the skill of performers and stage techniques. But I’ll probably tune in anyway.
10:18 pm on November 19th, 2003 2
Yep, I’d never say that Oklahoma (stage or film version) doesn’t deserve its place in the musical theater canon, I just tend to like my musicals with a bit more of an edge to them. I am fond of these lyrics though:
the daisies in the dell
will give out a different smell
because poor jud is underneath the ground
Although the more recent movie musicals have put an emphasis on editing and star power, at least they are making them!
9:14 am on November 20th, 2003 3
Speaking of recent movie musicals, there’s a “music from and inspired by” Hedwig charity album out, with artists as varied as Sleater-Kinney, They Might Be Giants, Yoko Ono, Robyn Hitchcock, Frank Black, and the Breeders. I’m ordering it now…
10:24 am on November 20th, 2003 4
wow, D the elder, sounds like just my type of album! thanks for the heads up!
i saw the promo on PBS last night. i have a strange affection for Oklahoma!, i guess from living in the midwest and being forced to put it on in high school (here in the midwest, Oklahoma! constitutes four out of five high school musicals in any given year). i was thinking, if we could somehow get rebecca romijn-stamos to play laurie, we might have something there.