Energy, creativity abound in 'Oklahoma'

Oh, what a beautiful morning, or rather, afternoon, it was this weekend at Sun Valley High School as they put on their performance of Oklahoma! The Rodgers and Hammerstein show first opened on Broadway and ran for over 2,000 performances. Oklahoma! tells the captivating story of two love triangles. The first is that of a cowboy named Curly and a farmhand named Jud competing for the hand of the lovely Laurey. The second is of a fickle-minded girl named Ado Annie and her choice between the loyal Will and the intriguing Ali Hakim.

Sun Valley High School put on an admirable performance of Oklahoma! There was energy throughout the whole show and the entire cast contributed to the performance's success. Numbers such as "Oklahoma" were full of enthusiasm and really added to the show's appeal.

The confident cowboy Curly was played with admirable aplomb by Michael Mann. Danielle Overbeck provided a memorable performance as Laurey. Both Mann and Overbeck displayed their skills at singing and dancing in their roles. Ado Annie, the somewhat ditzy country girl who "Cain't Say No", was played by the talented Ashley DiBona. DiBona's character provided a comedic touch in the performance.

The leads were not the only talented members of the cast. The ensembles brought life to the stage with their engaging performances in each of their musical numbers. The Ladies Ensemble in particular provided lovely harmonies in numbers such as "Many a New Day" and "Out of My Dreams".

William Everman's lighting design was perfectly matched to suit each scene's mood. It nicely complimented the set which was detailed, but not overdone. The costumes, done by Amy Eunson, Caitlyn McKniff, and Moira McKniff, were period correct and brilliantly designed. The stage crew, under the direction of Jocelyn Kline, were efficient and adept at quick scene changes.

Overall, Sun Valley High School's production of the classic Oklahoma! was a worth-while experience. The cast kept the audience's attention with their high energy and dedicated performance. The technical aspects of the show were wonderfully tailored. Each cast member contributed to the show and it paid off. It was "All Er Nothin'" with the cast of Sun Valley's Oklahoma!