Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, were the evenings of the California Middle School Vocal Music Department performance "Oklahoma!" The production was an adaptation for pre-high schoolers of the Rodgers and Hammerstein production of the same name. The original production was performed March 31, 1943.
The middle school students performed the five scenes of the play with plenty of action, singing and dancing. The Pinto Express and Music Connections cast of characters were backed up by the CMS Musical Chorus.
The play is set in territory now known as the state of Oklahoma, just after the turn of the 20th century. Some of the action is about romance and some is about trying to get the rival farmers and cowmen to get along.
It begins with Aunt Eller (Emily Gray) churning butter outside her farmhouse as a cowboy, Curly (Chatman Pardoe), comes onstage singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'". He has come to invite Aunt Eller's niece, farm girl Laurey (Emily Bilyeu), to a box-social that evening. The plot is complicated from this point, with the pair finally going to to big event, even though farmhand Jud Fry (David Cisneros) has asked Laurey to the event.
A second romance is going on at the same time. Ado Annie (Grace Henley) is being pursued by a peddler (Scott Staton) and a cowboy Will (Dawson Gump). In the end, the couples are Curley and Laurey, Ado Annie and Will, and the peddler and his new wife, Gertie (Breanna Roberts).
Curley (Pardoe) sings solos "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" and "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top." Then he, as a part of several duets, sings "People Will Say We're in Love" with Laurey (Bilyeu) and "Pore Jud is Daid" with Jud (Cisneros), as well as being a part of the chorus singing "Kansas City" and "Oklahoma." Ado Annie (Henley) performs the solo "I Cain't Say No."
CMS Pinto Express and Music Connections Cast of Characters include Aunt Eller played by Emily Gray, Curly played by Chatman Pardoe, Laurey played by Emily Bilyeu, Jud Fry played by David Cisneros, Will played by Dawson Gump, Ado Annie played by Grace Henley, Peddler played by Scott Staton, Gertie played by Breanna Roberts, Mrs. Carnes played by Aaron Spillars, Ike Skidmore played by Austin Bolin, Cord Elam played by Kraig Walker, Fred played by Bryant Davis, Slim played by Nathan Pickering, Mike played by Alex Meisenheimer, Joe played by Nathan Korte, Tom played by Israel Lovins, Vivian played by Molly Forsythe, Ellen played by Hailey Schepers, Kate played by Madison Thompson and Virginia played by Alyssa Sabartinelli.
The CMS Musical Chorus included sixth graders Riley Bisges, LJ Faulkner, Lauren Hill, Eric Horne, Trenten Irey, Emauel Isidro, Tristan Liebi, Lauren Spillars and Gwen Yarnell; seventh graders Allison Bailey, Mateesa Crawley, Kendra Dunham, Jasmine Kerley, Paige Lamm, Angelica Lemus, Jazmine Salmons, Makayla Schanzmeyer; with Dream Chorus members Aizza Avilez, Darby Hudson, Jenna Berendzen and Lucia Embry; eighth graders Yaneli Banda, Briana Ceballos, Georgia Hoellering, Morgan Kempfer, Coar Kuykendall, Lesley Leon, Crystal Smith, Hailty Tarrants with Dream Chorus members Megan Bailey and Hannah Hill.
The Musical Production Crew included Stage Manager - Molly Forsythe, Prop Managers - Maylee Cuadel, Angelica Lemus and Zoe Zimmerman, Curtain - Olivia Bahr, Prompter - Tania Gallegos, Sound - Brad Friedrich, Lighting - Timothy Burgher, Set Design - Brad Friedrich and the CHS Art Department, Costumes - Lori Bailey, Kathy Kempfer, Morgan Kempfer, CHS Choral Department, CHS Drama Department, CMS students and parents, Publicity Art - Nicholas Burgher, Parent Helpers, Annette Forsythe and Angel Embry, Director - Marcia Burgher and Choreographer - Reva Catherine Burgher.
story created on Monday 3/16/2015 at 3:00:42 pm by David Wilson