Oklahoma!

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Introduction to "Oklahoma!"

"Oklahoma!" premiered in London’s West End at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on April 30, 1947, running for an impressive 1,548 performances until September 30, 1950 one of the longest runs of its time. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II, this musical adapts Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play "Green Grow the Lilacs," marking the duo’s first collaboration. Directed by Rouben Mamoulian, it starred Howard Keel as Curly, Betty Jane Watson as Laurey, and Harold Keel as Jud Fry. Revived at the Palace Theatre in 1998 with Hugh Jackman and Maureen Lipman, it ran 386 performances until June 19, 1999, winning four Olivier Awards, including Best Musical Revival. Produced by the Theatre Guild, its integration of song and story featuring "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’" revolutionized musical theatre, drawing over 2 million in its original London run and cementing its status as a West End classic.

The Creative Team Behind the Show

Richard Rodgers composed the sweeping score, with Oscar Hammerstein II crafting lyrics and a book that wove music into narrative a first for Broadway-to-West End transfers. Rouben Mamoulian directed, with Agnes de Mille’s groundbreaking choreography her dream ballet a sensation earning a 1999 Olivier nod. Howard Keel’s robust Curly, Betty Jane Watson’s tender Laurey, and Mary Marlo’s feisty Ado Annie led the 1947 cast, with Henry Clarke as Will Parker. The 1998 revival, directed by Trevor Nunn, starred Hugh Jackman, Josefina Gabrielle, and Maureen Lipman, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and the National Theatre. Robert Russell Bennett’s orchestrations and Lemuel Ayers’ rustic sets framed the frontier, a team whose innovation refined from Broadway’s 1943 debut set a new standard, blending American pluck with theatrical depth for London’s post-war stage.

A Frontier Love Story

In 1906 Oklahoma Territory, cowboy Curly McLain courts farm girl Laurey Williams ("The Surrey with the Fringe on Top"), but she teases him by accepting hired hand Jud Fry’s box social invite ("People Will Say We’re in Love"). Jud’s menace looms his dark obsession erupts in a smokehouse clash while peddler Ali Hakim woos Ado Annie, tangled with her beau Will Parker ("I Cain’t Say No"). A dream ballet reveals Laurey’s fears, pushing her to Curly. At the social, Curly outbids Jud for Laurey’s basket, sparking a brawl Jud falls on his knife and dies. Songs like "Oklahoma" rally the community, ending with Curly and Laurey wed, Will and Ado Annie paired, and Ali free a tale of love, rivalry, and frontier spirit, sealed with a hopeful statehood cheer.

Performance and Reception

The 1947 debut, post-Broadway’s 2,212 shows, ran 1,548 performances Variety called it “a landmark,” with Keel’s “golden” voice and de Mille’s dance dazzling over 2 million attendees. The Times praised its “freshness,” though some found its Americana quaint. The 1998 Palace revival, opening September 17, logged 386 shows WhatsOnStage’s five stars lauded Jackman’s “star-making” Curly, though The Guardian noted a softened edge. Four 1999 Oliviers Revival, Actor (Jackman), Supporting Actress (Lipman), Choreography crowned its return, with a cast recording hitting charts. Critics adored its vigor over 500,000 saw it in 1998 its joyous spirit trouncing early skeptics, a West End triumph reborn amid "Les Mis"’s shadow, proving its timeless pull.

Legacy in West End Theatre

"Oklahoma!"’s 1,934 total West End performances and seven 1943 Tonys including Best Musical heralded the modern musical’s birth, its four 1999 Oliviers affirming its glow. A 1955 film with Gordon MacRae grossed $7 million, seen by 40 million, while global stagings 70+ countries hit 20 million. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s hits "Out of My Dreams" covered by Ella Fitzgerald and story-first model endure via Music Theatre International, with 600+ annual productions. Its 1980 Broadway revival (294 shows) and 2019 reimagining (Tony-winning) signal staying power, influencing "Carousel" and beyond. From Drury Lane to Palace, it’s a West End pioneer over 5 million albums sold its legacy a fusion of frontier romance and theatrical innovation, a beautiful mornin’ that reshaped Theatreland’s dawn.