Oklahoma is more than OK
BAAY rides again
by Christopher Key
Oklahoma! is the most frequently produced show in American musical theatre. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic has become so familiar that you can often hear audiences singing along with the cast word for word. That’s not always a good thing. I’ve performed in and seen the show more times than is really fair for one human being and have thereby become a bit jaded to its charms. The only thing that might revive my enthusiasm is to see the wildly talented young actors at the Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth take it on. They have and, as usual, blew me away.
Director David Post, Choreographer Mary Simler Evans and Musical Director Steve Barnes have once again teamed up to work magic at the BAAY Actors Studio at 1059 North State Street. Most theatres employing young actors tend to cut dialogue and musical numbers from their shows in order to make it easier on the players. BAAY is made of much sterner stuff. This is a full production of the musical and the actors rise to the occasion. There are two separate casts for the show and if the second cast is as talented as the first, you’ll want to catch both of them.
The cast I saw at preview night included BAAY veteran Brad Anderson as Curly, looking right at home on the range. He projects a confident stage presence and has a perfect voice for the part. As his somewhat reluctant paramour Laurie, Ann Marie Barenchi is all blushes and shy glances. Her singing is totally delightful.
Ann Marie Barenchi and Brad Anderson play Laurie and Curly in BAAY's production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Oklahoma!
There aren’t many young actors who could portray Aunt Eller and make you believe she’s an older character. Melanie Cahill does it with style and seeming ease. Ado Annie is one of the most charming characters in musical theatre. Katy Herbrandsen, with her Betty Boop voice, delivers a definitive performance of “I Cain’t Say No.” Andrew Hansen, as Ado Annie’s suitor, Will, has an “Aw, Shucks” presence that is dead-on.
Another major challenge for any young actor is portraying the menacing villain Jud Fry and making it believable. Candice Lundy not only does that, but also brings out the pathos of the character in a stunning performance. One of the things BAAY teaches very well is how to do accents. Miki Evans has learned her lessons well and uses them to great effect in her portrayal of the slightly shady peddler Ali Hakim.
In every BAAY show I’ve seen, there is an actor in a smaller part who stands out. In this show, it’s Elena Siamas as Gertie. She has an amazing voice and unbelievable stage presence. I expect to see her in starring roles before long.
There are a lot of older kids who help make these amazing productions happen. In this show, costumer Yoni Market deserves a bow, along with her able assistants Tina Perona and Lindsay Hodgson. The multi-talented Shu-Ling Zhao serves as stage manager and keeps the set changes from becoming too vaudevillean.
As usual, I don’t have room to mention everyone involved and, as usual, I apologize abjectly. You know who you are and so do I.
Oklahoma! Plays August 27-30 and September 4-6 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, go to www.baay.org.
And, yes, I sang along. But very quietly.
# # #