Oh, what a beautiful morning it will be, as Oklahoma! is once again returning to London to give us all a beautiful feeling that everything is going our way! Daniel Fish's stripped-back production of Rodgers and Hammerstein 75 year old musical is a daring theatrical feat that is set to delight West End audiences at the Wyndham's Theatre next year. Read on to discover all the ins and outs of why you need book tickets to see Oklahoma! in London.
What is the musical Oklahoma! about?
The classic musical is based on a 1931 play by Lynn Rigg titled 'Green Grow the Lilacs', and is set at the turn of the 20th century. Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, Oklahoma! follows the fortunes of cowboy Curly and outsider Jud as the pair attempt to woo farmgirl Laurey. There are underlying political and geographical debates as well as the state lines are drawn up dividing communities. Will the people be able to unite and come together in the brand new state of Oklahoma?
Which theatre is Oklahoma! playing at?
The new revival of the classic Oklahoma! musical will play in London at the Wyndham’s Theatre. The Wyndham’s Theatre on Charing Cross Road next to Leicester Square underground station. Recent shows to showcase at the venue include the Olivier-Award winning plays 'Life of Pi' and 'Leopoldstadt'.
How long does Oklahoma! last in the West End?
The running time of Oklahoma! is 2 hours and 50 minutes which includes a 15-minute interval. Matinee performances begin at 2:00pm and will finish at around 4:50pm. Evening performances begin at 7:30pm and will end at approximately 10:20pm.
What days of the week does Oklahoma! play?
Oklahoma! will play eight performances per week with evening performances taking place daily from Monday - Saturday. There will also be Matinee performances taking place in the afternoons on Wednesday's and Saturday's.
When was the premiere of Oklahoma!?
Oklahoma! premiered on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on March 31st, 1943 with the musical's creators winning a coveted Pulitzer Prize. The show played on Broadway for 2,212 performances before finally closing on May 29th, 1948. Revivals of Oklahoma! followed however and the show returned to Broadway for successful runs in 1951, 1979, 2002, and most recently in 2019.
Oklahoma! arrived in London at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1947, and played at the venue for 1,543 performances. Subsequent revivals of Oklahoma! in the West End took place in both 1980, and 2002.
Who wrote the musical, Oklahoma!?
Oklahoma! was the debut musical from writers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The show was ground breaking and helped to transform modern musical theatre, as it was one of the first "book musicals" — utilising the featured songs to tell its story. Rodgers and Hammerstein went on to write several other successful musicals including The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and The King and I.
Who are the characters in Oklahoma!?
Farmers, cowboys, and the general territorial population at a monumental period in American history are the stars of the show. The silent majority from all walks of life who come together to make up a nation. Read on to discover out more about the main characters in Oklahoma! in London.
Aunt Eller is a respected woman within her local community who owns the farmstead. Local people look to her for guidance and advice and she is often called upon to keep the peace between different communities living in the area, but always manages to keep a watchful eye open to help her niece, Laurey. After all, local territory folk should stick together shouldn't they!
Laurey is Aunt Eller’s niece and is a young, vibrant and independent woman who just wants to grow up to be able to make her own decisions in a new and daunting world. Both Cowboy Curly and farmhand Jud are jockeying for her affection, but Laurey can't decide which of the pair she wants.
Curly considers himself to be the finest cowboy in all the land and as he breaks into song with “Oh What A Beautiful Mornin’,” everything seems to be going his way, but when he comes across Jud Fry, could this put a spanner in the works in his attempt to win Laurey’s heart?
Jud Fry is aunt Eller and Laurey’s farmhand and although he lives in what appears to be a reputable farmstead, his smokehouse is actually anything but presentable. Jud is also a social outcast, and few people want to spend time with him, but can Jud turn things around and earn Laurey's respect?
Ado Annie sees herself as a strong, independent and headstrong woman, but she is tied to Will Parker. When Ali Hakim comes into town however and takes her to the 'Box Social' things get a little blurred and Ado Annie will have to make a decision.
Will Parker is a simple man who is madly in love with Ado Annie. When the audience first meets him, he’s just come back from the fairground in Kansas City where he’s discovered a new way of making a living. Will he be able to win Ado Annie’s hand?
Other supporting characters featured in Oklahoma!, include Ali Hakim, Andrew Carnes and Gertie Cummings.
What songs feature in Oklahoma!?
Despite being Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical, Oklahoma! is filled with familiar and instantly recognisable songs that firmly cemented their mark in the Broadway world with the songs including “People Will Say We’re In Love,” “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’,” and “I Cain’t Say No,”. Read on for the full list of songs in Oklahoma!:
Act 1:
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'"
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top"
"Kansas City"
"I Cain't Say No"
"Many a New Day"
"It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!"
"People Will Say We're in Love"
"Pore Jud Is Daid"
"Lonely Room"
Act 2:
"Out of My Dreams"/"Dream Ballet"
"The Farmer and the Cowman"
"All Er Nuthin''
"People Will Say We're in Love" (Reprise)
"Oklahoma"
Has the new Oklahoma! revival won any awards?
This latest Oklahoma! production has taken away some of the highest awards in theatre. Oklahoma! was nominated in seven different categories and won two Tony Awards. All of the Oklahoma! Tony Award nominations are listed below, with the winning categories in bold.
Tony Awards
'Best Orchestrations' - Daniel Kluger
'Best Direction of a Musical' - Daniel Fish
'Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical' - Damon Daunno
'Best Revival of a Musical'
'Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical' - Ali Stroker
'Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical' - Mary Testa
'Best Scenic Design in a Musical' - Laura Jellinek
'Best Sound Design of a Musical' - Drew Levy
How did the new production of Oklahoma! get to the West End?
Despite first showcasing on Broadway over 75 years ago, this latest production of Oklahoma! both revitalises and reenergises the classic 20th century musical into a completely thrilling modern hit. The current production of Oklahoma! which will now open in the West End began shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, but has now emerged as a must-see stage musical.
2015: The first workshops for Oklahoma! take place in New York at Bard College. A New York Times review stated: this “Oklahoma!” revels in the exhilaration of pioneers forging their identities in wide-open spaces.”
2018: Oklahoma! heads to New York City with performances beginning at St. Ann’s Warehouse on September 27th and showcasing until November 11th, 2018.
2019: To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Oklahoma! the show transfers to the Circle in the Square Theatre and is the winner of two Tony Awards. Performances at the venue ran from March 19th, 2019 until January 19th, 2020.
2021: Oklahoma! begins a national tour of the United States with performances across the country from November 6th, 2021 to October 23rd, 2022.
2022: Daniel Fish's new production of Oklahoma! finally premieres in Europe at the Young Vic theatre in London and plays for a limited season from April 26th, 2022 to June 25th, 2022.
2023: Oklahoma! will finally open in the West End, with performances beginning at the Wyndham’s Theatre from February 16th, 2023 and will run until to September 2nd, 2023.
How to book Oklahoma! theatre tickets in London?
Oklahoma! was a completely sold-out sensation at the Young Vic, and very much looks set to continue that trend in the West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Tickets to see the latest revival of Oklahoma! can now be booked securely online through Theatretickets-London.co.uk but due to the size of the venue and the expected popularity of the show during its short run official discounts for Oklahoma! may be few and far between. For patrons looking to secure lastminute theatre tickets to the show it can bear fruit to study the seating plan in detail and avoid peak times such as weekends or school holidays when booking tickets to Oklahoma!