An unforgettable 'Oklahoma'

Sun Valley High School recently presented an energetic production of the beloved musical Oklahoma!. The cast and crew of Sun Valley performed an excellent rendition of the classic. The show takes place in the territory of Oklahoma in 1906 among the farmers and cowboys of the West. Laurey, a strong willed girl, is being pursued by two suitors, Curley a cowboy, and Jud a farmhand. Her scatterbrained friend Ado Annie faces a similar situation when she must decide between a peddler, Ali Hakim, or her past sweetheart, Will Parker. The love struck characters endure some outlandish and even deadly events until they end up with the ones they truly love.

The actors and actresses of Sun Valley displayed a multitude of talents. Leads such as Michael Mann, who played Curly, and Casey Beradi, who played a truly intimidating Jud, exhibited some phenomenal male vocals. Their counterparts, Danielle Overbeck and Ashley DiBona, who played Laurey and a whimsical Ado Annie sang with exemplary skill. The female dancers of the cast were especially skilled in the ballet number. Danielle Overbeck proved to be a skilled dancer through all of the choreography. Other notable characters were that of Aunt Eller and Ali Hakim, played by Victoria Vinson and Connor Gillies, who shined with their accents and lively acting. Connor Gillies played a hilarious Ali Hakim especially in his comical musical number "It's a Scandal! It's an Outrage", in which he distresses over the constant threat of farm girls' fathers.

Some other unforgettable aspects of the show were costumes and lighting. Every character had their own unique student-designed costume, something very rare and remarkable in high school theater. The female cast had quaint old-western styled dresses while the male cast had apt cowboy hats and boots.The lighting was impressive, displaying an astounding western sky upon what was once a plain white background. Although the spotlight was not as consistent as the rest of the lighting, it did not take away from the performance. The stage crew performed almost faultlessly except for a minor technical difficulty that they smoothly recovered from.

The cast and crew of Sun Valley showed a dynamic production of Oklahoma! that was suitable for long time lovers of the musical and those who had never seen it prior. The actors and actresses looked consistently enthusiastic throughout the strenuous performance. Sun Valley's production was not just 'OK', it was fantastic!