Saturday 11 October 2014

Preview: Oklahoma! at Newcastle Theatre Royal



Oklahoma! Gallops Into Newcastle

Oklahoma!
Newcastle Theatre Royal
23 – 27 June 2015.

Saddle up for a dose of sunshine as a new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Oklahoma! gets set to arrive at Newcastle Theatre Royal next Summer 23 – 27 June 2015.

From Music & Lyrics, the award-winning producers of the highly successful tours of The King & I and Fiddler on the Roof, this new production of one of the great classic American musicals will feature a large cast and chorus led by Belinda Lang (School for Scandal, Ladies in Lavender) and Gary Wilmot (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).
                                                                                                                              
Gary Wilmot
Set in the Oklahoma territory in the early 1900s, the musical celebrates the vigour of America’s pioneering spirit while at the same time telling the story of two pairs of star-crossed lovers. Cowboy Curly loves Laurey, Aunt Eller’s niece, but Curly’s rival is the mysterious and dangerous hired hand Jud Fry.  Meanwhile, Ado Annie is torn between cowboy Will and peddler Ali Hakim.  Their stories are told with the help of some of the best loved songs in musical theatre history, including Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, I’m Just a Girl Who Cain’t Say No, Surrey With a Fringe on Top, Kansas City, People Will Say We’re in Love and the title song.

Oklahoma!, with music by Richard Rodgers and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, was based on the Lynn Riggs play Green Grow the Lilacs and was the first musical written by the duo.  It was originally produced on Broadway in 1943 and the Academy Award-winning film was released in 1955.

Belinda Lang
Belinda Lang stars as Aunt Eller with Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim, Ashley Day (The Book of Mormon, The Wizard of Oz, High School Musical) as Curly, Charlotte Wakefield (The Sound of Music, MAMMA MIA!, Spring Awakening) as Laurey and Nic Greenshields (Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot, The Phantom of the Opera) as Jud Fry.  The show is accompanied by a live orchestra led by musical director Steve Ridley.  Set and costumes will be designed by Francis O’Connor, with lighting by Tim Mitchell and sound by Ben Harrison.

This new production is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with new choreography by Drew McOnie. Rachel Kavanaugh is former Artistic Director of the Birmingham Rep.  She is directing An Ideal Husband at the Chichester Festival Theatre this autumn.  Other credits include The Sound of Music at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Love Story in Chichester and the West End, and The Merry Wives of Windsor for the Royal Shakespeare Company.  Drew McOnie’s choreography credits include In the Heights for Southwark Playhouse, The Sound of Music and Chicago for Leicester Curve, Soho Cinders at the Soho Theatre, and Dames at Sea and On the 20th Century at the Union Theatre.  He recently launched his own theatre dance company, The McOnie Company.



And why not tempt yourself with Afternoon Tea after the matinees on Thu 25 and Sat 27 June? Served in our exclusive Olivier Suite and accompanied by one of our pianists, you can treat yourself for £14.95 per person or upgrade to Afternoon Tea with Prosecco for £20.90. Book via the Box Office or online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/afternoon-tea

The UK & Irish tour of Oklahoma! will be presented by Music & Lyrics Limited and Royal & Derngate Northampton through special arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.

On The Web:

Tickets:
Oklahoma! appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tue 23 –  Sat 27 June 2015 (Evenings: 7.30pm, Matinees: Thursday 2pm and Saturday 2.30pm).
Tickets are from £13.00 (a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk  

On Tour:
19 – 28 Feb        NORTHAMPTON         Derngate Theatre  
3 – 7 Mar             WOLVERHAMPTON   Grand Theatre  
17 – 21 Mar        SALFORD           The Lowry          
24 – 28 Mar        DUBLIN                Bord Gais Energy Theatre  
14 – 18 Apr        BRADFORD        Alhambra Theatre      
21 – 25 Apr        EDINBURGH       Festival Theatre         
28 Apr – 2 May           NOTTINGHAM   Theatre Royal   
5 – 9 May           SOUTHAMPTON          The Mayflower Theatre     
12 – 16 May       CRAWLEY           The Hawth          
19 – 23 May       BATH                    Theatre Royal     
26 – 30 May       TRURO                 Hall for Cornwall        
2 – 6 Jun             CHELTENHAM    Everyman Theatre    
16 – 20 Jun        CANTERBURY     The Marlowe Theatre         
23 – 27 Jun         NEWCASTLE        Theatre Royal
30 Jun – 4 Jul     BIRMINGHAM    Hippodrome     
21 Jul – 1 Aug   SHEFFIELD           Lyceum Theatre

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