Broadway's current Oklahoma! revival will tour the US in fall 2020, appropriately beginning its journey at Oklahoma City's Civic Center Music Hall. The production, re-imagined for 2019 by Tony–nominated director Daniel Fish, is the first Broadway production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical to tour the U.S. since 1981.
Additional stops will be announced later.
Following earlier runs at Bard College and Brooklyn's St. Ann's Warehouse, Fish's staging opened on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre April 7, grabbing eight Tony nominations including Best Director of a Musical and Best Revival of a Musical. The production offers a stark and contemporary re-imagining of the Golden Age staple, with new arrangements and Tony-nominated orchestrations by Daniel Kluger.
The creative team also includes choreographer John Heginbotham, Tony–nominated scenic designer Laura Jellinek, costume designer Terese Wadden, lighting designer Scott Zielinski, Tony–nominated sound designer Drew Levy, projection designer Joshua Thorson, and music director Nathan Koci. Casting is by Will Cantler and Adam Caldwell of Telsey + Co.
The first collaboration between the Broadway powerhouse duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Oklahoma! was adapted from Lynn Riggs' play Green Grow the Lilacs and was originally choreographed by Agnes de Mille. The original production, which premiered on Broadway in 1943, is largely credited with being the first musical to fully integrate its book, score, and choreography towards advancing the plot. Fish's re-imagining leaves the original text and score intact while exploring them through a 21st century lens.The Broadway cast is led by Rebecca Naomi Jones as Laurey and 2019 Tony nominee Damon Daunno as Curly. They are joined by 2019 Tony nominees Mary Testa (Aunt Eller) and Ali Stroker (Ado Annie), as well as Patrick Vaill (Jud Fry), Will Brill (Ali Hakim), Mallory Portnoy (Gertie Cummings), James Davis (Will Parker), Mitch Tebo (Andrew Carnes), Anthony Cason (Cord), and Will Mann (Mike).
Oklahoma! is produced on Broadway by Eva Price, Level Forward, Abigail E. Disney, Barbara Manocherian & Carl Moellenberg, James L. Nederlander, David Mirvish, Mickey Liddell & Robert Ahrens, BSL Enterprises & MagicSpace Entertainment, Berlind Productions, The John Gore Organization, Cornice Productions, Bard Fisher/R. Gold, LAMF/J. Geller, T Narang/ZKM Media, The Routh/Franke/Baruch/Viertel Group, Araca/IPN, St. Ann’s Warehouse, and Tamar Climan.
