OKLAHOMA!

Three Stars

Theater: Opera House Players

Location: Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main Street, Broad Brook

Production: Music by Richard Rodgers. Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Direction and choreography by Lesley Gallagher. Music direction by Amy Crawford.

Running time: 3 hours, with one intermission

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through Nov. 25.

Tickets: $20, seniors over 60 and youth under 12 pay $12. Call 860-292-6068 or visit their Web site at www.operahouseplayers.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Moonyean Field…Aunt Eller
David R. Pelletier…Curly McLain
Jessica Ferraday…Laurey Williams
Michel Corman…Ike Skidmore
Jason Ellsworth…Slim
Bruce LaRoche…Will Parker
Keith Paul…Jud Fry
Nicole R. Giguere…Ado Annie Carnes
Larry Marino…Ali Hakim
Khara C. Hoyer…Gertie
Jim Metzler…Andrew Carnes
Jim Byrne…Cord Elam
Lee Helwig…Tim
Philip D. Vetro…Fred
Sarah Lewis…Aggie
Claudia J. Pospisil…Virginia
Renee Rehmer…Dream Laurey/Sylvie
Betsy Ellsworth…Vivienne
Kera Keene…Kate

Dust off your best cowboy boots, buff up your Stetson, hitch up your gettalong and high-tail it down to the Opera House Players thigh slapping, two-steppin’ production of “OKLAHOMA!” at the Broad Brook Opera House in East Windsor.

For those poor souls who have gotten through life thus far without having the pleasure of seeing this musical, don’t wait one more cotton pickin’ minute.

“OKLAHOMA!” was the first of many box office smashes on Broadway by the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, originally produced in 1943. With classic songs like “On What a Beautiful Mornin’,” which kicks off the show, sung with confidence and clarity by David R. Pelletier who plays Curly McLain, to the unforgettable “Oklahoma!,” and the sweet love song, “People Will Say We’re In Love,” the music is about as a June bug in December, and twice as delicious as a sweet potato pie.

The story is straightforward. Curly is in love with Laurey Williams, who loves him too, but is a bit coy. Then there is the farm hand, Jud Fry, who wants her for his own.

The other love story has a more comic bend to it, with Nicole R. Giguere playing Ado Annie Carnes, who is being courted by Will Parker. Giguere practically steals the show with her sly winks and smiles, singing that terrific fun song “I Can’t Say Know.”

Will is played by Bruce LaRoche with a fine comic turn, oozing oodles of effervescent energy while amusingly clearly not the sharpest tack in the saddle bag.

McLain’s voice is a joy to hear, which is a good thing, because he sings many songs. He and Jessica Ferraday, playing the lovely, sweet and feisty Laurie Williams so a real affection together that is touching to watch.

Ferraday’s voice too is lovely and clear. In fact, everyone of the cast members, from the leads all the way down to the smallest parts, have excellent diction, not a single word is lost, and their voices were all pitch perfect.

The orchestra, lead by musical director Amy Crawford, was small but excellent. Orchestra’s can have the bad habit of easily overpowering the singers, but this was never the case in this production, where they showed admirable restraint.

The Opera House Players really embrace and epitomize the “community” in community theater. Before the show they have a teacup action, to help fund these significant productions, and after the show all the actors stand along the stairwell in a receiving line, greeting each patron as the exit the theater.

So, what er ya’ll a-waiting fer? Head on down the holler afore it be too late and see OKALAHOMA!