HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-06-07, Page 23The heart of America comes to the
Stratford Festival stage with the
entertaining Oklahoma!.
The first collaboration between
Richard Rodgers and Oscar
Hammerstein II, signalled a new era
on Broadway fusing musical
comedy with operetta. The show is
earthy and often serious. But from
the moment Dan Chameroy as Curly
heralds what a beautiful mornin’ it
is, you just feel like smiling.
As the handsome cowboy, Curly,
set on winning the comely Laurey,
Chameroy plays the role with a
sweet vulnerability, both winning
and touching your heart.
And you’ve got to love that voice.
Blythe Wilson positively glows as
Laurey, the lovely farm girl whose
game of hard-to-get goes too far.
She finds herself attending the box
social with the disturbed farm hand
Jud Fry, while Curly takes Aunt Eller
in the fancy rented surrey.
When the two men get into a
bidding war over her basket, Curley
wins by selling all his possessions.
After a confrontation in the
schoolhouse Laurey fires Jud. He
returns the day she marries Curly
and during a fight with the groom
falls on his knife and dies.
Wilson displays a wide range of
emotion throughout and a soprano as
pure as a prairie view.
Usually doubles perform as the
lead characters in the dream ballet
that ends Act one. However, Wilson,
who began taking ballet when she
was a child, elegantly filled the
slippers for the scene.
Which meant that Chameroy and
David W. Keeley, who appears as
Jud, were also required to step up to
the bar, and aquitted themselves
admirably.
Keeley gives a great performance
as Jud. His complex villain can make
your skin crawl one minute, evoke
sympathy the next.
With a lift of a brow, a hint of a
smile, Nora McLellan gets Aunt
Eller’s mix of down home common
sense, humour and compassion just
right.
Lindsay Thomas as Ado Annie,
Kyle Blair as Will Parker and
Jonathan Ellul as Ali Hakim had
tremendous appeal in secondary
roles.
The strong cast is benefitted by the
able direction and terrific
choreography of Donna Feore. The
show’s energy is captivating.
Patrick Clark’s design takes you to
the corn and wheat fields, to simple
times and quiet spaces.
Special note also goes to lariat
coach Tom Bishop as well as to Blair
for obviously being such a capable
student.
Oklahoma! was an important
piece of theatre in its day. It told a
simple story of boy meets girl,
against a backdrop of bigger
psychological issues. The struggle
between the farmers and ranchers,
the rage inspired by a difficult life
are only two of the social conflicts
that lie at the core of the play. They
are as relevant today as then.
This is one musical that’s ‘still
doin’ fine’. It runs at Stratford’s
Festival Theatre until Nov. 4.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2007. PAGE 23.Entertainment Leisure&Theatre reviewHeart of America comes to Stratford Festival
America at its best
Stratford Festival’s production of Oklahoma!opened May
29 to a standing ovation. Starring are, from left: Blythe
Wilson as Laurey, Nora McLellan as Aunt Eller and Dan
Chameroy as Curly. (David Hou photo)
Huron Tourism Association
fundraiser being held at the Blyth
Festival on Tuesday, June 26.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
“The board of directors of the
Association urges members and
individuals across the county to take
this opportunity to network with
tourism colleagues and launch the
2007 season,” says president Scott
Evans of the Benmiller Inn. “This
event, held yearly at one of Huron
County’s professional theatres,
provides a wonderful opportunity to
mingle with others in the community
who are providing the wonderful
experiences that our tourists have
come to expect when they travel
Ontario’s West Coast.
The evening includes a silent
auction beginning at 6:30 p.m., an
informal reception at 7 p.m. and a
performance of The Eyes of Heaven
at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $22 for
preferred seating (regular seating
$18) and a portion of each ticket
goes directly to the Huron Tourism
Association to assist it to further its
goals to promote the attractions,
accommodation and dining venues
and events throughout the county.
Call the Blyth Festival Box Office
today and quote "Tourism” to
support this event and enable the
association to extend its marketing
reach further.
The Huron Tourism Association is
a membership-based active
organization with a mandate to
develop and target cost-effective and
results-oriented tourism strategies
within Huron County. For more
information and a listing of tourist
attractions, special event and dining
and accommodation information
visit www.ontarioswestcoast.ca or
call the Huron County Planning
Department at 519-524-8394 for a
copy of the 2007 travel guide.
The Eyes of Heaven by Beverley
Cooper, starring Susan Stackhouse,
Laura Schutt, Andrea Donaldson
and Andrew Moodie runs June 26 –
Aug. 11 at the Blyth Festival.
For more information visit
www.blythfestival.com
Blyth Rd., Auburn 519-526-7759
NOW LICENSED
UNDER LIQUOR LICENCE ACT
OF ONTARIO
Stickers Family Restaurant
Monday - 6:30 - 4:00;
Tuesday & Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00;
Thursday, Friday & Saturday 6:30 - 9:00;
Sunday 9:00 - 7:00
Saturday,
June 9
Steak & Wings
Night
5 pm - Closing
Friday Smorg. ~ 5 pm - 8 pm
Sunday Smorg. ~ 4 - 7 pm
Forthcoming
Marriage
Kelly Clark and
Andrew Wharton
invite you to celebrate
their wedding
Saturday, June 16, 2007.
Open reception 9 pm
at the Blyth
Community Centre.
Happy
Belated
Birthday
Paul (Wally) Pierce
on
June 4
From Mom & family
Buck & Doe
for
Christina
Black
&
Dan
Pellarin
Saturday, June 9
9 pm - 1 am
Blyth Arena
Tickets $5 in advance
or $6 at the door
Light lunch
Age of majority
For tickets call Melissa
519-523-4548
EEnnggaaggeemmeenntt
PPaarrttyy
for
Crystal Devlin
& Ivan Wattam
Saturday, June 9
9 pm - 1 am
Brussels Legion
Music by Steve Silcock
Lunch provided
$6.00/ticket available at door.
Proceeds go towards
Breast Cancer Research.
Happy 1st
Birthday
Carson Bromley
June 11
Love Mommy & Daddy
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Huron Tourism Association
hosts fundraiser in Blyth
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