DPRCA's Oklahoma opens July 10

DPRCA's Artistic Director Elliott Schwab is getting good at updating classics. Of course, we're not talking about cars, hairstyles or tunes. In this case it's musical theatre, and specifically Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1943 Broadway musical "Oklahoma!"

Many of us know the basic storyline. The musical tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain and farmhand Jud Fry. It's a classic love story with an incredibly human dark side.

However, in DPRCA's version, it's not 1906, and Oklahoma is already a state; instead, the characters experience the height of the Dirty '30s, or the Dust Bowl, a time when both cowboys and farmers are running out of steam trying to cling to the notion that better days are ahead.

A great illustration of this comes in the show's theme song, through the lyrics "Where the wav-in wheat can sure smell sweet; When the wind comes right behind the rain." Farmers and cattlemen alike can certainly identify with that.

"Everyone in this show is just trying to survive in a time when it gets increasingly difficult to do so," Schwab said. In these desperate times, everyday human conflict is heightened. Grudges, violence, cover-ups and even death taint the sweetness of the love story.

Schwab noted that there are neither villains nor heroes in this version. Whereas Jud is often seen as the villain in the classic, this time he's simply an outsider, misunderstood and untrusted. He's a Northerner, so when he arrives in Oklahoma, the others don't really like him or put much stock in his character.

In a nutshell, "this show is about desperate people making poor choices," Schwab said. He said that in rehearsal, the show ends with the feeling that the "happy ending" comes at a great cost.

Nonetheless, even in the midst of the dark themes of the show, Schwab said the music is a beautiful expression of longing, remembrance and hopefulness that characterized that time.

DPRCA regulars will notice that although this isn't the largest cast DPRCA has ever had, it is certainly the most diverse mix of new and familiar faces in some time. New faces actually comprise half the cast. And there are also a number of cast members who have grown up in the DPRCA family, learning from the veterans through the organization's youth programming. Watch this newspaper throughout the next few weeks as we introduce each of the new cast members and highlight the regulars patrons know and love.

Oklahoma! debuts on the Old Church Theatre stage in downtown New Rockford on Wednesday, July 10. With 25 shows scheduled throughout five weeks, there's sure to be a performance that fits into your busy summer schedule. However, seats fill quickly, so book your tickets now by phone at (701) 947-2174 or online at http://www.dprca.com!