One of Park Playhouse’s greatest assets is their pool of young talent. Indeed, this summer’s production of “Oklahoma” uses many of their former students who were trained by their own Playhouse Academy.
The most popular asset is the show that runs until July 26 is offered free of charge, with some cost for preferred seating.
Not only is this enormously satisfying for loyal audiences who have watched the cast as they developed into talented, mature actors who have achieved great theater skills and onstage personas to match.
“Oklahoma” is a different learning experience for them. It’s an opportunity to perform in a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and play older, and at least in theory, more mature characters.
They do very well. In fact, under the direction of Chuck Krause they bring less traditional interpretations to the roles. And they do it without radically departing from the preconceived personalities associated with the characters.
Typically, the players in “Oklahoma” are cheery, All-American optimists that are without flaws. They wake every day singing “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”. However, in this Park Playhouse production it’s revealed that under this happy facade there is just enough jealousy, pettiness and mistrust to taint even a slice of mom’s apple pie.
Director Krause has taken a deeper look at the show. By examining the concept of frontier justice, it has you reexamining the beloved myths about rugged individualism.
This effort is not nearly as dark as the controversial 2019 Daniel Fish version.
But, it’s a take that will have you leaving Albany’s Washington Park thinking about the jarring ending rather than humming the rousing title song that closes the show.
But, not to worry, the first act is essentially traditional. Too, it’s filled with familiar classics such as “People Will Say We’re in Love,” “Kansas City” “Surrey With the Fringe on Top” and “Out of My Dreams.” Those songs alone make the evening worthwhile.
Act one develops the relationships among the supporting characters. The most fun is the comic triangle between Ado Annie (Emma Cornish), Will Parker (Josh Hoyt) and the peddler, Ali Hakim (Haydn Chenette).
Each is very good, but like the entire cast on opening night there was a sense that almost everyone was trying too hard. It settled down in the second act,
Offsetting the youth of the cast is the presence of a couple of experienced veteran actors. Ellen Cribbs as Auntie Eller is excellent as she brings strength and wisdom to a character who is too often just a one-dimensional figurehead.
In the same way, David Baecker finds layers of quiet authority to Pa Carnes, a role often played as a simple farmer. His nuanced portrayal makes it appropriate that he is the one to lead the enthusiastic “The Farmer & the Cowman” number. After this segment the tone goes from light to dark.
The love triangle that drives the show is between Curley and Laurey, with the obsessed Judd Fry menacing them both.
Calista Case is a radiant, contemporary-seeming Laurey. She is tough without being fierce, bantering without being nasty and romantic without giving up her independent nature.
JJ Razzano is less successful as Curley. He plays the man as petulant, sulky and not-too-bright. Instead of appearing headstrong, he comes across as foolishly impulsive. Instead of a mature heroic figure, he comes across as an irritating adolescent.
By casting Judd Fry with an actor-of-color, Lance Douglas, it brings added weight and social significance to the shunned outsider.
Douglas is very good in his highly emotional moments as he creates a sinister person. However, in the more quiet, private periods he is less successful in creating a man who might be worthy of sympathy.
Tensions erupt in the second act and the results break from the traditional happy-ever-after ending. It is a calculated choice by the director. It’s also a legitimate choice, made even more so as Krause has placed the seeds for unexpected behavior throughout the show. It is not out of character.
It is a choice that more than likely will infringe on the immediate satisfaction of completely enjoying the show. However, the final impression is one that will last far longer than will unrealistic optimism.
One last comment on the pleasures of seeing “Oklahoma” performed by a mostly young cast. Living in a fractured world and performing a play about a fractured community, it is meaningful to have local talent offering commentary about the world in which we live.
“Oklahoma” runs Tuesday through Sunday at the amphitheater in Albany’s Washington Park until July 26. Admission is free.
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
