Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Fall Harvest of Plays: Oklahoma

The San Diego theater scene is a cornucopia of choices. In addition to traveling Broadway shows, a collection of community stages provides endless choices of excellent theater and talent. I make it a habit to scan the arts calendar and discounted Goldstar plays until something pops up that I absolutely have to see.

In late August, the New Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad produced the American musical classic, Oklahoma, to rave reviews, so I couldn't resist. The production featured a cast of seasoned professionals who were delightful in their roles, but the surprise performance came from a "promising baritone" named Jack French who won us over the moment he belted out the opening number, Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' in Aunt Eller's front yard. The impressive opera roles in his bio attested to his amazing talent, which filled the intimate theater with a commanding rendition of the song. I was mesmerized. The voice was undeniable in its strength and clarity, the winsome strut seductive, and the handsome actor ripe with confidence.


You know the story. The guy pursues the girl, who resists until she wakes up and realizes he's the one she wants, and all varieties of characters and complications interfere until it ends happily ever after. It premiered on Broadway in 1943 with a cast of unknowns and a world in which Nazism was eventually defeated and individualism and the human spirit won. Set in the early days of Oklahoma settlements, the play put a spotlight on the strong work ethic and can do character of America as the backdrop of the story. From now on, when I think of Oklahoma, I will only see Jack French singing the opening number on that stage. A recent graduate of Point Loma University in San Diego, he's on his way to a master's program in opera performance, so there's no question he'll continue to dazzle San Diego audiences, but even more likely, audiences far beyond our shores.











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