Rodgers and Hammerstein

Rodgers and Hammerstein were an American songwriting duo consisting of Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960). They are most famous for creating a string of immensely popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s, in what is considered the golden age of their medium, including five shows that were legendary successes: Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music. Over the course of their collaboration, their work and its adaptations garnered 34 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Grammy Awards, and two Emmy Awards, among other theater accolades.

Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! (1943) marked a revolution in musical drama: While it was hardly the first musical play to tell a story of emotional depth and psychological complexity, Oklahoma! implemented a number of new storytelling techniques, including focusing on emotional empathy; dealing with characters and situations far removed from the audience by time and geography; dealing with American historical and social materials; and the use of dance to convey plot and character rather than mere diversion for the audience. The original production opened on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theatre in New York, was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, and starred Betty Garde, Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts, Celeste Holm, Joan McCracken, and Howard Da Silva. The production was choreographed by Agnes de Mille, who provided one of the show's most notable and enduring features: a 15-minute first-act ballet finale (often referred to as a dream ballet) arising from Laurey's inability to make up her mind between Jud and Curly. The original production ran for a then unprecedented 2212 performances, and closed on May 29, 1948. It was adapted into an Academy Award-winning musical film in 1955, starring Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones (in her film debut), Rod Steiger, Gloria Grahame, and Charlotte Greenwood. This film was shot twice, in the new 70mm widescreen process of Todd-AO and again in the more established Cinemascope process for theatres without 70mm film equipment.

Related Topics:
1943 - March 31 - St. James Theatre - Rouben Mamoulian - Betty Garde - Alfred Drake - Joan Roberts - Celeste Holm - Joan McCracken - Howard Da Silva - Agnes de Mille - Ballet - Dream ballet - May 29 - 1948 - Academy Award - Musical film - 1955 - Gordon MacRae - Shirley Jones - Rod Steiger - Gloria Grahame - Charlotte Greenwood - Widescreen - Todd-AO - Cinemascope

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Musical Numbers

• "Overture"
• "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'"
• "The Surrey With the Fringe On Top"
• "Kansas City"
• "I Can't Say No"
• "Many a New Day"
• "It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!"
• "People Will Say We're In Love"
• "Pore Jud is Daid"
• "Lonely Room"
• "Out of My Dreams"
• "Laurey Makes Up Her Mind" (Dream Ballet)
• "The Farmer and the Cowman"
• "Let People Say We're In Love"
• "All Er Nuthin'"
• "Oklahoma!"
• "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' (Reprise)"