STEPHEN MARK LUKAS (Curly) is pleased to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse and his home state of Maine. OP: Hello, Dolly! and Cinderella. Broadway: Elder Price in The Book of Mormon; National Tours: Little Women (Laurie), The Book of Mormon (Elder Price); Selected Regional Credits: Curly in Oklahoma! (IRNE and Broadway.Com Noms, Reagle Music Theatre, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival) Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (CT Critics Circle Nom, Goodspeed Opera House), Guys & Dolls (Sky Masterson, Maine State Music Theatre), South Pacific (Lt. Cable, Maltz Jupiter Theatre), Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike (Spike, John W. Engeman Theatre), Camelot (Lancelot, Westport Playhouse); TV: ìEmpire Falls,î ìGossip Girl.î Follow @smlukas.

TAYLOR QUICK (Laurey Williams) is over the moon to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Credits: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie, Goodspeed Opera House), Hairspray (Penny, Maltz Jupiter Theatre), Grand Hotel (Flaemmchen, Lyric Stage), Sister Act (Mary Robert U/S, Arkansas Repertory Theatre), A Christmas Carol! (Emily U/S, Arkansas Repertory Theatre), Jekyll and Hyde (Emma, Onstage Bedford), The Sound of Music (Liesl, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot (Casa MaÒana), and Catch Me If You Can (Uptown Players). Film: ìGodís Not Dead.î She was the Distinguished Young Woman of Arkansas 2012 and is a TCU BFA MT graduate. Much love to my family and many thanks to DGRW. Rejoice Always. @taylorlquick

COLBY DEZELICK (Will Parker) is thrilled to be playing Will Parker at Ogunquit Playhouse. He was recently in the Broadway revival of Miss Saigon (ensemble, U/S Chris). Other credits include Fyedka in Fiddler on the Roof, Tommy in The Music Man (Muny), Chasing Rainbows (Goodspeed) and many more. Thank you to family, friends, and Molly (and Charlie)! Proud BFA MT Rider University í16.

SUSANN FLETCHER (Aunt Eller) was last seen at Ogunquit Playhouse, way back in 1983, as Angel in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Broadway credits include: The Full Monty (Georgie Bukatinsky), How to Succeed (Smitty), Guys and Dolls (Miss Adelaide), the original company of The Goodbye Girl (Donna Douglas), the original company of Jerome Robbins' Broadway (Miss Electra, Golde, Timid Girl), the original company of Raggedy Ann and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Angel). She has been in six national tours and dozens of regional/stock productions. She has been nominated for a Barrymore Award, The National Broadway Theatre Award and the Kevin Kline Award. She has co-starred in television and films. Susann is also a produced playwright. More info at SusannFletcher.com.

CHESSA METZ (Ado Annie) is over the moon to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse! Regional: The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel, North Carolina Symphony). Chessa recently debuted her solo cabaret F1RST at Lincoln Center Education. Thanks to Barry Katz, UNCSA, and the whole Metz family.

TIMOTHY JOHN SMITH (Jud) is pleased to make his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Theatre: The Whoís Tommy (Denver Center, Hawker) Guys and Dolls (Wick Theatre, Sky Masterson) Rapture, Blister, Burn (Huntington Theatre, Dan) Fool for Love (New Rep, Eddie) Richard III (Trinity Rep, Stanley/Henri IV) Les Miserables (Cortland Rep, Jean Val Jean) Candide (Huntington Theatre, The Governor) Film: Central Intelligence (Warner Brothers, Agent Nick Greene) The Equalizer (Columbia Pictures, Detective Gilly) The Judge (Warner Brothers, Both Ways Bobby) Detroit (Annapurna Pictures, Foreman Pete) TV: "Blacklist" (NBC), "Mysteries of Laura" (NBC), "Neon Joe: Werewolf Hunter" (Adult Swim), "Rise" (NBC), "Castle Rock" (Hulu).

MartÌn Sol· (Ali Hakim) is pleased to make his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Broadway: On Your Feet! (The Marquis), Coram Boy (The Imperial), La BohËme (The Broadway), The King and I (The Neil Simon). Off-Broadway: Miss You Like Hell (The Public), Giant (Dimodeo, The Public), Pipe Dream (Esteban, Encores), Fanny (Hakim, Encores), All Eyes and Ears (Emilio, INTAR), Over a dozen Productions with New York City Opera. Regional: Man of La Mancha (Quijote/Cervantes, Theater LattÈ Da), Man of La Mancha (The Padre, The Shakespeare Theater, D.C.), Olives and Blood (Trescante, Connecticut Repertory Theater), The Most Happy Fella (Pasquale, The Goodspeed Opera House), Evita (Che, Theater by the Sea), The Tragedy of Carmen (Escamillo, The Two River Theater Company). Film: Sabado Morning (Best Short Film Winner NY Film Festival, Eddie). TV: "Hostages" (CBS). Special thanks to my wife Michelle Liu Coughlin. www.martinsola.com.

EMILIA BROWN (Ensemble) is pleased to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse! National Tour: Pippin (Berthe/Swing, Catherine u/s), Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean (singer, dancer). Regional: CATS (Sillabub), The Music Man (Ensemble), Anything Goes (Angel), Les MisÈrables (Eponine/Fantine u/s) Prather Entertainment, Country Roads (Swing, Dance Captain) RWS & Associates. Voiceover (swedish): Sonny with a Chance (Tawni), Viva High School Musical (Gabriella) Disney Channel. Emilia has 12 years of team gym experience and has competed on a national level in Sweden. Personal thank you to Fredrik for the love and support.

ENRIQUE BROWN (Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain/Fight Captain/Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Broadway: The Little Mermaid, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, and The Music Man (u/s Tommy Djilas). Off-Broadway: Carnival (Encores @ City Center). National Tour: Fame (u/s Joe Vegas), West Side Story (Big Deal). Regional Favorites: Evita (Asolo Rep), Oklahoma! (MUNY), Chess (Ford Amphitheatre-LA), The Boyfriend (Alphonse, Maltz Jupiter), and The Most Happy Fella (5th Ave. Theatre). Film: ìAcross the Universeî (directed by Julie Taymor). Enrique is not only a performer but also a theatrical director, choreographer, and producer at Brown Productions.

JON COOPER (Cord Elam/Ensemble) is thrilled to return to Ogunquit Playhouse for a second season. OP: Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Farah/Ensemble); Off-Broadway: Errol and Fidel (NYMF Best of Fest Award, Ensemble, Playwrights Horizons); Regional: Oklahoma! (Cord Elam, Trinity Rep. Dir. Richard Jenkins), Fiddler on the Roof (Yussel, Stages St. Louis); Film: "Girl Most Likely" (w/ Kristen Wiig). Choreography: Classic Stage Company, Columbia University. Thank you my LDC team, family, and dear husband Matthew. @jonmjcooper

BECCA CORBIN (Ensemble) is thrilled to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Regional: Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl/Dance Captain, La Comedia). University: Legally Blonde (Ensemble, SUNY Buffalo), Zodiaque Dance Company. Training: BFA Dance SUNY Buffalo, Jacobís Pillow, BDC ProSem. Thanks to my family for their love and support, I couldnít do it without you! @beccacorbin

ERICK DEVINE (Andrew Carnes) Broadway: Ragtime, Seussical, Cats (1st replacement to original co.), Sid Caesar & Co. National Tour: Big River (Deaf West), Ragtime, White Christmas, Me & My Girl (Helen Hayes nomination), Annie Get Your Gun (w/Cathy Rigby), Grand Hotel. Off-Broadway: Enter Laughing, Anne of Green Gables, Lucky Stiff, (all 3 on CD), A Winterís Tale. NYC Encores: Of Thee I Sing, Allegro. Also: Several Lazar Wolfs, Edna in Hairspray & Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street. Directed: HMS Pinafore & Candide (both w/Kristin Chenoweth), Anything Goes (w/Kelli OíHara), ...Molly Brown (w/Cathy Rigby), Annie Warbucks (w/Gavin MacLeod), 1776, ...Forum, Most Happy Fella, Complete Wks of WmShkspr (Abridged), Der Fledermaus, Miracle on 34th Street. erickdevine.com

MAUREEN DUKE (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her Ogunquit Playhouse debut! Off-Broadway: Lili Marlene (Marlena, St. Lukeís Theatre). Regional: Damn Yankees (Lola, Tibbits Opera House), The Addams Family (Morticia, Tibbits Opera House), Oklahoma! (Dream Laurey/Dance Captain, Tibbits Opera House), Jesus Christ Superstar (The Muny, Ensemble), Mame (The Muny, Ensemble); TV: ìLate Night with Seth Meyersî (Dancer, 21 Pilots), ìMadam Secretaryî (featured), and ìThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiselî (Featured dancer); Maureen enjoys teaching dance to children with special needs, and is the production coordinator for Dances Patrelle. Thank you to my family and friends for your

constant support.

Joseph Fierberg (Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse! OP: Thoroughly Modern Millie; National/International Tours: Disneyís Beauty and the Beast and Elf The Musical; Regional: Disneyís The Little Mermaid (MUNY), Chasing Rainbows (Goodspeed), West Side Story (Big Deal, u/s Action, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival); as well as various roles in productions at Riverside Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Maine State Music Theatre, and Theatre By The Sea. BFA: Syracuse University. Endless thanks to Fred, Ginger, all the folks at OP, and, most of all, my family.

DELANEY LOVE (Ensemble) is ecstatic to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Regional: In The Heights (Ensemble, John W. Engeman Theatre), Chicago (June, Highlands Playhouse). Sheíd like to thank her supportive family.

BRIAN MARTIN (Ensemble) is charmed to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse for his third summer in a row! OP: Bullets Over Broadway (Aldo), Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Daniel); National Tour: Bullets Over Broadway (u/s Cheech), Beauty and the Beast (u/s Lumiere), Elf, Guys and Dolls; Regional favorites: Mary Poppins (Papermill Playhouse) A Chorus Line (Bobby, Surflight Theatre), Tarzan (Tarzan, Wagon Wheel Theatre). Training: BFA, Western Michigan University; RADA. Special love and thanks to my family and friends. @btmartz

ALIDA MICHAL (Ensemble) is pleased to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. National Tour: An American In Paris (Swing), Chicago The Musical (Katalyn Hunyak, RCCL); Off-Broadway: Wonderful Town (Featured Dancer), The Gallery Players; Regional: Anastasia (Odette soloist, Maria, Masha, Hartford Stage), West Side Story (Graziella, Riverside Theatre), Victor/Victoria (Featured Dancer, Stages of St. Louis); TV: ìHeart Of Dixieî (Dancing Belle). Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Austin, Pacific Festival Ballet. UCLA-TFT B.A. The creator of Bulletproof Bette: The showgirls guide to surviving and thriving! (www.bulletproofbette.com) @alidamichal15 @bulletproofbette

VANESSA MITCHELL (Ensemble) is thrilled to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse! OP: Bullets Over Broadway (Ensemble), Victor/Victoria (Ensemble). National Tour: 42nd Street (Lorraine). Regional: 42nd Street (Diane/Ensemble), The Gateway Playhouse), Singiní In The Rain (Ensemble, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), A Music Box Christmas (Dance Captain/Ensemble, HersheyPark). Canada: Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show (Singer/Dancer), Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth (Singer), Royal Visit of Will & Kate (Dancer) Film: Martin Scorseseís ìThe Irishmanî (Upcoming 2019) (Dancer/Golddigger). www.vanessamitchell.ca. @vemovasnena Thanks to Ian and my family for their endless support.

JULIO REY (Ensemble) is uberly excited to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Julio is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico and is entering his senior year at Penn State as a musical theatre major. Regional: The Little Mermaid (Jetsam and u/s Prince Eric, Forestburgh Playhouse), Newsies (Davey, Forestburgh Playhouse), Tarzan The Musical (Tarzan, Roxy Regional Theatre); Educational: Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Valentin), Sweet Charity (Vittorio Vidal), Light in the Piazza (Giuseppe), SíWonderful (Gene Kelly); In loving memory of Tio Carlos.

SAM ROHLOFF (Ensemble) is excited to be making his Ogunquit debut this summer! NY based actor, originally from Michigan. BFA Musical Theatre, Oakland University. National Tour: Kinky Boots, West Side Story; Regional: La Cage Aux Folles, South Pacific, and Fiddler on the Roof. Much love to my supportive and loving family and friends. Dave at Daniel Hoff. @samrohloff4

JULIA LYNN SAMMON (Gertie/Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse! Regional: A Chorus Line (Kristine, Gateway Playhouse); International Tour: Disneyís Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl); Cruise: Grease (Patty Simcox, Royal Caribbean); Training: American Musical & Dramatic Academy, NYC. Thanks to Mom, Dad, & Gregg Baker Management!

@julialynn11

CHARLOTTE SETTLE (Ensemble) is thrilled to make her debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse! NYC Concert Dance: Lincoln Centerís White Lights Festival (Guest dancer, New York City Center), On the Nature of Things (Guest dancer, Museum of Natural History); Ballets: CafÈ Victoria (Corps, Majestic Theater, TX), Romeo and Juliet (Corps, Majestic Theater, TX); NYC Commissioned Choreography: The Dance Gallery Festival (Featured choreographer, Ailey Citigroup Theater), WestFest Dance (Featured choreographer, Martha Graham Studio Theater). Charlotte would like to thank her family, friends, and dogs for their unwavering love and support.

MARK WOODARD (Ike Skidmore/Ensemble) is thrilled to be making his OP debut! Off-Broadway: The Cabaret Girl (US Premiere, Horace Gripps, Musicals Tonight!). Regional: Spamalot (2017 Barrymore Award Nom, King Arthur) and A Christmas Carol: Live Radio Play (Barrymore Award Recommended, Scrooge w/ The Resident Theatre Co.), Bells Are Ringing (Francis) South Pacific (Stewpot) and The Producers (Bryan/Jack/Judge w/ Pittsburgh CLO), A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Jacob Marley/Old Joe, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), TV: ìLaw &Order: Criminal Intentî (Guest Star), ìBillionsî (Co-Star), ìNeon Joe: Werewolf Hunterî (Co-Star).

RICHARD Rodgers (Music) career spanned more than six decades, his hits ranging from the silver screens of Hollywood to the bright lights of Broadway, London and beyond. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Lorenz Hart (1895-1943) wrote their first shows together when both were still students attending Columbia University. Their breakthrough came with the score for a 1925 charity show, The Garrick Gaities, which introduced the classic valentine to their hometown, "Manhattan.î In 1935 they returned to New York to write the score for Billy Rose's circus musical Jumbo, launching a golden era that included On Your Toes, Babes in Arms, Iíd Rather Be Right, I Married an Angel, The Boys from Syracuse, Too Many Girls, Higher and Higher, Pal Joey, and By Jupiter. In 1943 the partnership disbanded temporarily when Rodgers collaborated with Oscar Hammerstein II on Oklahoma!, but it resumed with a revision of their 1927 hit A Connecticut Yankee, which opened on November 17, 1943 -- less than a week before Lorenz Hart's death. For the next two decades Richard Rodgers collaborated exclusively with Oscar Hammerstein II on such musicals as Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, Pipe Dream, and The Sound of Music. Collectively, their musicals have garnered dozens of awards including: Pulitzer Prizes; Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys; and Drama Desk, Drama Criticsí Circle, Outer Criticsí Circle, Laurence Olivier, and Evening Standard Awards.

OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II (Book and Lyrics) started writing lyrics for the Columbia University Varsity shows while studying law. His earliest works included musical comedies written with a Columbia undergraduate seven years his junior named Richard Rodgers. Hammerstein found his niche with some of the greatest composers of his day, breathing new life into the moribund artform of operetta with such classics as Rose-Marie (music by Rudolf Friml), The Desert Song (Sigmund Romberg), The New Moon (Romberg), and Song of the Flame (George Gershwin). With Jerome Kern, Hammerstein wrote eight musicals, including Sweet Adeline, Music in the Air and their masterwork, Show Boat. The Rodgers & Hammerstein partnership began with Oklahoma! (1943). Like Hammerstein's Show Boat and Rodgers & Hart's Pal Joey, the first Rodgers & Hammerstein musical was a ground-breaking milestone, blending musical comedy and operetta into a whole new genre -- the musical play. Oklahoma! was also the start of the most successful partnership in Broadway history and was followed by Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The Kind and I, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Flower Drum Song, and The Sound of Music. Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote one musical specifically for the big screen ñ State Fair - and one for television ñ Cinderella. Collectively, their musicals have garnered dozens of awards including: Pulitzer Prizes; Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys; and Drama Desk, Drama Criticsí Circle, Outer Criticsí Circle, Laurence Olivier, and Evening Standard Awards. His last musical was The Sound of Music written with Richard Rodgers in 1959; his last song was "Edelweiss," written for that musical during its Boston tryout. Oscar Hammerstein II died at his farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on the morning of August 23, 1960.

FRED HANSON (Director) is pleased to make his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. He has directed productions for the St. Louis Muny, Fox Theatre Atlanta, Houston TUTS, KC Starlight, and Wolf Trap (DC). Internationally he directed Miss Saigon in Tokyo and in S„o Paulo. Also in Brazil, he directed Singiní in the Rain, Baby, and Jekyll and Hyde. He was the Deputy Head of Operations for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Rio2016 Olympics & Paralympics and was Location Producer for ESPNís studio coverage of World Cup 2014 in Rio de Janeiro. He has worked on many Broadway shows and National Tours as Associate Director, Production Supervisor, Executive Producer and Stage Manager, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, Evita, Agnes of God, 42nd Street, Zorba, and the original productions of Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon. He started his career at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and San Francisco Opera.

GINGER THATCHER (Choreographer) is currently Associate Choreographer/ Asst. Director for the musical Little Dancer, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. Choreography Credits: Nine, Oklahoma!, Carousel, Syncopation, Big, Swing! (Dir./Chor.), Wild Women of Planet Wongo, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Winters Tale, The Robber Bridegroom, Eugene Onegin, The Bartered Bride and productions with St. Louis MUNY, NYMF, Jean Cocteau Rep, NY Shakespeare Project, Juilliard, Tex/Arts, Cleveland Playhouse, Glimmerglass Opera, Phoenix Theatre, Cleveland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Sarasota Ballet, Minnesota Ballet, American Rep. Ballet, NJ Ballet, Ballet NY, and Verb Ballets. Broadway: The Red Shoes, Carousel, Big, Matthew Bourneís Swan Lake, Oklahoma!, A Year with Frog and Toad; Other Credits: Othello, ABT, SFB, Joffrey, Norweigian National, The Red Shoes, A Brahms Symphony, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Berlin, with Lar Lubovitch, But Not for Me, Martha Graham, Take Five... PNB, For The Love of Duke, NYCB with Susan Stroman.

JEFFREY CAMPOS (Music Director) is pleased to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse! OP: Ragtime, Beauty and the Beast, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Saturday Night Fever, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Victor/Victoria, The Witches of Eastwick, Grease, Thoroughly Modern Mille, JosephÖDreamcoat, 9 to 5, Damn Yankees, South Pacific, Legally Blonde, Summer of Love, Sunset Boulevard. National Tours: Jekyll & Hyde, A Chorus Line, The Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma!, Annie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Regional: The Prima Donnettes, Too Darn Hot (Florida Studio Theatre), Mame (Cohoes). NYC: A Stoop on Orchard Street (Off-Broadway); NYC Mayor's Awards for Arts and Culture, Jack Perry is Alive (and Dating) (Ars Nova); Show Choir (NYC Fringe); A New Generation of Song (NYMF); The Secret Garden, Human Comedy, Lucky Stiff, Triumph of Love, A New Brain, Forever Plaid, Proof (Astoria Performing Arts Center); Violet, The Wild Party, Like You Like It, City of Angels (Gallery Players); Jesus Christ Superstar (Producer's Club). Orchestrations: Broadway Backwards (American Airlines Theatre). Developmental grant recipient from the Queens Council for the Arts for his musical The Man in the Iron Mask.

MICHAEL ALLEN (Scenic Adaptation and Additional Design) is pleased to make his debut at the Ogunquit Playhouse. National Tours: Spiderman-Live!, The Wiz, West Side Story, National Tours (adaptations): Miss Saigon, Oklahoma!, Sweet Charity, Hairspray. Regional: Journey's End, Othello, The Sound of Music, Annie, 9 to 5, On Your Toes!, Barefoot in the Park, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Imaginary Invalid. TV: Comedy Central, MTV, PBS, MajorLeagueBaseball.com. Michaelís designs for the Animated Holiday Window displays at Macyís, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor, and the former Marshall Fieldís State Street, were seen by millions, including the award-winning Macyís Herald Square ìpop-upî Christmas windows in 2005. Michael is currently plotting a south-to-north cycle excursion on the East Coast Greenway: a 3,000-mile ride from the Florida Keys to the Maine/Canadian border when he can carve out some summer months for a bit of pedaling and camping.

RICHARD LATTA (Lighting Design) Recent Work: In the Heights, The Foreigner, White Christmas (Music Hall, Portsmouth). Ogunquit Playhouse: Million Dollar Quartet, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (IRNE Nomination), Anything Goes. Ain't Misbehavin' (Alabama Shakespeare). Off Broadway shows include: Little Ham, Arthur Laurents' Home of the Brave and Big Potato (Premieres). A Majority of One (Obie Nomination), The Jazz Singer (Premiere), Nunsense A-Men, Nite Club Confidential (Premiere). This is his very first production of Oklahoma! Many thanks to Corey, Derek, Michael, Chad, Bradley & Jen and all at the Playhouse.

KEVIN HEARD (Sound Design) is delighted to return for his fifth season at this great American theatre. OP: Ragtime (IRNE Award Winner for Best Sound Design), Smokey Joeís Cafe (as Associate), From Here to Eternity, Mamma Mia!, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Anything Goes, White Christmas, Million Dollar Quartet, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Victor/Victoria, Mary Poppins, and The Addams Family. Broadway (as Associate): All The Way, The Cherry Orchard, The Country House, Sylvia. Off-Broadway: In & Of Itself, For The Last Time, Long Story Short, The Underclassman. Off-Broadway (as Associate): The View Upstairs, The Total Bent, Clinton The Musical, Jasper in Deadland. Kevin designed the sound for the International Premieres of Fun Home (starring Lea Salonga), Kinky Boots, and Matilda in Manila, Philippines. He has also designed dozens of productions at major regional theatres across the US, is the Associate Producer for BenDeLaCreme Presents, and is the founder of design firm Heard Audio, LLC. www.HeardAudio.com

EMILIA MARTIN (Wig/Hair & Make-Up Design) is thrilled to return OP, after just designing White Christmas. She is a hair designer & stylist for Broadway, TV, and Film, and member of IATSE 798. OP favorites include Legally Blonde, Grease, Spamalot, Sunset Blvd. Broadway: Come From Away, Spring Awakening (Def West) Assoc hair design & M/UP, Cirque Du Soliel's Paramour, Disaster!, Nice Work, Motown, and Evita. Off-Broadway: Morning Star (On Site Opera), Spamilton (Puerto Rican traveling theatre). Tour: A Chorus Line, Hair design, (Big league). Regional: Guys & Dolls (Arglye Theatre LI), Shakespeare in Love (NJ Shakespeare Festival), Merchant of Venice (NJ shakes), The Full Monty (The Engeman), Funny Girl (NorthShore Music Theatre); Film & TV: ìSNL,î ìThe Irishman,î ìThe Post,î and ìThe Duece.î Thank you to my 2nd family here at OP, and my real

family. Kisses!

ANTHONY C. DANIEL (Casting Director) Casting: Ogunquit Playhouse's productions of Anything Goes, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Disneyís Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, Victor/Victoria, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Million Dollar Quartet, Saturday Night Fever, White Christmas, Grease, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, Witches of Eastwick, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, and The Addams Family. He has also served as Associate Director on the Playhouseís productions of Victor/Victoria, Mary Poppins and Witches of Eastwick. Anthony is a faculty member at The Growing Studio in NYC, where he serves as the Director of Musical Theatre Showcase. As an Associate Director, Anthony has worked alongside Matt Lenz on the National Tour of Cheers: Live On Stage! and the upcoming production of Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz.

www.anthonycdaniel.com

John ìJPî Pollard (Production Stage Manager) is pleased to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse. OP: Anything Goes, starring Sally Struthers and Andrea McArdle, Nice Work If You Can Get It, starring Sally Struthers and Brenda Vaccaro. West Coast: An Act of God, starring Sean Hayes (The Ahmanson/LA, The Golden Gate/SF), Carrie The Musical (The Los Angeles Theatre/LA), The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In The Universe, starring Lily Tomlin (Post Street Theatre/SF), Nice WorkÖ (Musical Theatre West/LA). Off-Broadway: Earth & Sky (Second Stage Theatre). Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ), Gateway Playhouse (NY), The Barter Theatre (VA), Pioneer Theatre Company (UT), and many others. International: Grease Das Musical (Germany & Switzerland). JP sends out a personal thank you to Brad Kenney, Brian Swasey, and the staff of OP for this amazing opportunity. Proud Equity member since 1983.

MELANIE T. MORGAN (Assistant Stage Manager) is pleased to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse. OP: Anything Goes; Broadway: It Shoulda Been You, ONCE, HIGH, Looped, The Story of My Life, Curtains, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, The LightÖPiazza, Little Women, Jumpers; Off-Broadway: Party Face, Cagney, Maurice Hinesí Tappiní Thru Life, Da, My Name is Asher Lev, Love, Loss & What I Wore, King David, George M. Cohan, Tonight!, She Stoops To Conquer, Last Easter; Tours: Andrea Martinís Final Days,

Everything Must Go!, Wishful Drinking (with Carrie Fisher), Little Women (1st NT), Reefer Madness (Edinburgh Festival Fringe); Film/TV: ìLoserville,î ìHandelís Messiah Rocksî w/ the Boston Pops. Other: NAMT, NYMF, Williamstown, Kennedy Center, Westport Country Playhouse.

SEAN PETER FORTE (Associate Music Director) is a California-grown, New York City-based musical director, pianist, conductor, arranger, and coach and is thankful to return to Ogunquit with Oklahoma! Broadway: A Gentlemenís Guide to Love and Murder. Tour: Into the Woods. Regional: Bullets Over Broadway (Ogunquit), La Cage aux Folles, Seussical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cinderella, Sweeney Todd. Cruise: Cats (Royal Caribbean). This would be impossible without the endless support of friends, family, and Matt. loveyou

ED ROMANOFF (Production Manager) Ed brings to the Playhouse an extensive career in live entertainment: lighting, scenic design, theatrical rigging, stage management, and audio; the latter amassing 20 years on television talk shows, news networks, and special events. He was most recently the Production Manager at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, Sugar Loaf, New York, overseeing the 689- and 200-seat proscenium theatres, art gallery, and 3500-seat outdoor amphitheater. As company manager, he toured with Mame starring Loretta Swit, The Sound of Music starring Debby Boone, Guys & Dolls starring Vic Damone, and New York Voices. Television Audio: Montel Williams, Sally Jessy Raphael, Robert Klein, Judge Hatchett, Dr. Joy Browne. He has been a rigging foreman for I. Weiss, and assisted Stephan Weiss in fabricating the original scenic draperies for Broadwayís Phantom of the Opera. An accomplished guitarist, he has performed with folk legends Pete Seeger, Tommy Makem, and Maineís own Schooner Fare. Recordings: Annie: 30th Anniversary CD, The Most Happy Fella (1992 Broadway revival), Up In Arms puppet musicals: Helping Drew, Monster Intelligence, and Welcome Park. Gloriously married to (Ogunquit Playhouse Company Manger) Joyce A. Presutti, theyíve moved here to his home state for new adventures in Show Business.

GEOF DOLAN (Technical Director) is excited to be returning for his 11th season as the Ogunquit Playhouse's Technical Director and Scenic Coordinator. Immediately prior to Ogunquit, he served as Technical Director for Worcester Foothills Theatre. He has done supplemental design work for several shows. He is also the Technical Supervisor for the Children's Theatre program. Geof began his technical career working backstage for both of his parents who are theatre directors and began his professional career at Sierra Repertory Theatre in California. For five years, he split his seasons between Maine and Florida, working the same technical areas for the Orlando Shakespeare, but now stays with the Playhouse year-round. His wife Cheryl (Scenic Charge Artist at the Playhouse for nine seasons) has designed award-winning parade floats and designs many of the Childrenís Theatre shows. His daughter Ashlynn is an aspiring writer and artist who can definitely call the Playhouse her second home.

CHERYL DOLAN (Resident Scenic Charge) is excited to be returning to the Ogunquit Playhouse for her 10th season. After taking over as Resident Scenic Charge seven years ago, she has designed several Children's Theatre sets, as well as added her artistic eye to many of the main stage productions. In the off-season, Cheryl is a Scenic Charge and Prop Master for The Good Theater in Portland, Maine. Since falling in love with the Ogunquit Playhouse, Cheryl, her husband Geof Dolan (the Ogunquit Playhouse Technical Director) and their daughter Ashlynn, who is a budding writer, have made the Seacoast their home year-round. Cheryl considers the staff at OP her family and hopes that her love and passion for theater is translated through the productions to all of you.

KENT BRIDGES (Managing Director) is a seasoned business leader with 30 years of experience in business administration, finance and strategic planning both in the private sector and as an independent consultant. He joined Ogunquit Playhouse in the fall of 2017. Working with the board of directors, the executive artistic director, dedicated managers and staff, the community, and the organizationís business partners, Kentís focus is to strengthen the theatreís financial position, guide its long-term future, and ensure its rich and well-respected legacy is firmly secured. A native of Presque Isle, Maine, Kent returned to the state in late 2014 after a successful career in the Washington, DC metro area. He is excited to be back in Maine and to call Ogunquit his home.

BRIAN J. SWASEY (Associate Producer) Originally from South Portland, ME and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire. After moving to NYC in 1995 and focusing on pursuing a career as an actor, he changed focus and became the Founding Artistic Director of The Astoria Performing Arts Center, followed by the Associate Producer position at Queens Theatre in the Park in Flushing, NY. There he was involved in producing the 20th Anniversary Revival of Closer Than Ever starring Sally Mayes and Lynne Winterstellar. Prior to coming to Ogunquit, he was the Managing Director for The New York Theatre Barn. NYC developmental projects have included: the rock musical The 12 and a new holiday musical entitled Tim and Scrooge. As a Director/Choreographer, Brian has had the pleasure of directing such shows as Pump Boys and Dinettes, Hairspray, Chicago, A New Brain, and Altar Boyz. He was the Assistant Director for the NYC Revival of Die, Mommie, Die! starring Charles Busch. At the Playhouse, Brian directed the TYA productions of The Berenstain Bears and The Cat In The Hat. In addition, Brian has been involved with booking cabaret entertainment at The Triad in NYC, as well as bringing such artists as Christina Bianco and Bruce Vilanch to MaineStreet in Ogunquit, ME.

BRADFORD T. KENNEY (Executive Artistic Director) is an artistic director, producer, stage and film director, and artist. Since joining the Ogunquit Playhouse in 2005, the Playhouse has tripled its audience growing from a single season summer stock theatre into one of the America's pre-eminent regional theatres with a three-season performance schedule and year round operation. During his stewardship, the Playhouse has garnered a number of awards and honors including the Moss Hart Trophy, Regional Theatre Award for Outstanding Achievement in the American Theatre from the New England Theatre Conference, multiple IRNE Awards and a number of BroadwayWorld Awards including Best Musical and others. Mr. Kenney is also noted for his work at Carnegie Hall including directing the holiday special The Christmas Rose starring Jane Seymour and producing An American Christmas Carol with Tim Janis. Mr. Kenneyís film work includes the upcoming movie musical ìButtonsî starring Dick Van Dyke, Jane Seymour, and Charles Shaughnessy. In New England, Mr. Kenney has been proud to be associated with a number of different theatre companies. He was also formerly the Artistic Director of the Foothills Theatre and Wachusett Theatre Companies in Massachusetts. He is a fourth generation plein air landscape artist, having studied with Beth Ellis and at Rhode Island School of Design, Heartwood College of Art, and Maine College of Art.

R&H THEATRICALS (Licensor) represents the stage performance rights to over 100 musicals by more than 200 writers. These include works by Rodgers & Hammerstein (including Oklahoma!, South Pacific and The Sound of Music), Rodgers & Hart (Pal Joey, Babes In Arms), and Kern & Hammerstein (Show Boat), as well as musicals by Irving Berlin (Annie Get Your Gun, White Christmas), Andrew Lloyd Webber (CATS, The Phantom of the Opera), Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins), Kurt Weill (The Threepenny Opera, Lady In The Dark), such perennials as Big River, Once Upon A Mattress, and Footloose, and the longest-running revues in the history of Broadway -- Smokey Joeís Cafe -- and Off-Broadway -- I Love You, Youíre Perfect, Now Change. Recently added titles include In The Heights, A Catered Affair, Itís Only Life, Love Musik, Face The Music, Reefer Madness, Altar Boyz, Bernarda Alba, Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical, and Bright Lights, Big City. R&H Theatricals is an Imagem company: www.rnh.com.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre founded in 1985, is a not-for-profit organization serving the musical theatre community. Our mission is to advance musical theatre by nurturing the creation, development, production and presentation of new and classic musicals; providing a forum for the sharing of resources and information relating to professional musical theatre through communication, networking and programming; and advocating for the imagination, diversity and joy unique to musical theatre. Their 200 members, located throughout the U.S. and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre in the world, and include theatres, presenting organizations, higher education programs and individual producers.

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA) founded in 1913, represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 30, 2018

Cheryl Farley, Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Patron Services

cfarley@ogunquitplayhouse.org

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Bursts Onto the Ogunquit Playhouse Stage Just in Time to Celebrate its 75th Anniversary!

Ogunquit, ME — Rodgers and Hammerstein’s great American classic Oklahoma! bursts onto the Ogunquit Playhouse stage June 13 to July 7. The Playhouse is thrilled to create an exciting new production of this beloved classic as part of its 75th Anniversary since first opening on Broadway. This groundbreaking musical was Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration, and in many ways their most innovative, having set standards for musical theatre that are still being followed today. The lively musical features the timeless classics, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',” “The Surrey with the Fringe On Top,” “I Cain't Say No,” “People Will Say We're in Love” and of course the triumphant “Oklahoma!”

“Now, with Oklahoma! celebrating its 75th Anniversary, it seemed the perfect time to bring this beloved classic to our stage. The Ogunquit Playhouse production will feature the original designs from Cameron Mackintosh’s London and Broadway revival of Oklahoma!, and Susan Stroman’s choreography, which will be tailored for our production by Susan Stroman’s Associate Ginger Thatcher. Our show will be helmed by Fred Hanson, who together with an outstanding cast will create a fresh, lively and exuberant Oklahoma!,” stated Executive Artistic Director Bradford Kenney.

The high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys living in Western Indian Territory at the turn of the twentieth century, provide the colorful setting for Curly, the confident cowboy, (Stephen Mark Lukas) and Laurey, the beautiful, head-strong farm girl, (Taylor Quick) to play out their love story. Throw in a fierce rival vying for Laurey’s attention, one flirtatious fiancée, a reluctant suitor, magnificent choreography and one of the most beautiful musical scores ever written and you have a recipe for a rip-roaring good time!

Individual tickets are on sale now with prices starting at $52. Three and four-show packages are also available for the current season. Gift certificates are also on sale. For tickets visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org, the Box Offices located at 102 and 10 Main Street, Ogunquit or call 207-646-5511.

Stephen Mark Lukas returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse to star as Curly. He last performed at the Playhouse in Hello, Dolly! and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Mr. Lukas has starred as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon on Broadway, as well as in the National Tour. He has performed at many regional theatres throughout the U.S. including the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival and Reagle Music Theatre as Curly in Oklahoma!, at the Goodspeed Opera House as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, and at the Westport Playhouse as Lancelot in Camelot. On television he has performed on “Empire Falls” and “Gossip Girl.”

Co-starring as Laurey Williams is Taylor Quick who is making her Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Ms. Quick has performed at Goodspeed Opera House as Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as in Grand Hotel at Lyric Stage, The Sound of Music at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, and Jesus Christ Superstar and Spamalot at Casa Mañana. In film, she can be seen in 2014’s “God’s Not Dead.”

Susann Fletcher joins the cast as the fun-loving, head-of-the-house Aunt Eller. Ms. Fletcher was last seen at the Ogunquit Playhouse in 1983 as Angel in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Her Broadway credits include: The Full Monty, as (Georgie Bukatinsky), How to Succeed, (Smitty), Guys and Dolls, (Miss Adelaide), the original company of The Goodbye Girl, (Donna Douglas), the original company of Jerome Robbins' Broadway, (Miss Electra, Golde, Timid Girl), the original company of Raggedy Ann and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She has also been in six National Tours and dozens of regional and stock productions. She has been nominated for a Barrymore Award, the National Broadway Theatre Award and the Kevin Kline Award.

Playing Jud Fry, the dark and dangerous hired hand, is Timothy John Smith making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. Mr. Smith has performed in many regional productions across the country including: The Who’s Tommy, Guys and Dolls, Candide, Fool for Love, Richard III, Les Miserables,and Rapture, Blister, Burn. Martin Sola is cast as traveling salesman Ali Hakim who is also making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. On Broadway Mr. Sola performed in On Your Feet!, Coram Boy, La Bohème, and The King and I. His Off-Broadway credits include Miss You Like Hell, Giant, Pipe Dream, Fanny, All Eyes and Ears, and over a dozen productions with New York City Opera. He has also performed in many regional theatres productions including: Man of La Mancha, Olives and Blood, The Most Happy Fella, and Evita. Colby Dezelick joins the cast as the rodeo cowboy in love with Ado Annie, Will Parker. He was recently in the Broadway revival of Miss Saigon and has performed in many regional theatre productions that include: Fiddler on the Roof, The Music Man, Chasing Rainbows and more. The flirtatious Ado Annie is played by Chessa Metz making her Ogunquit Playhouse debut. She recently performed in Pirates of Penzance at North Carolina Symphony, and debuted her cabaret F!RST at Lincoln Center Education.

The ensemble of Oklahoma! includes Emilia Brown, Enrique Brown, Jon Cooper (also Cord Elam), Becca Corbin, Erick Devine (also Andrew Carnes), Maureen Duke, Joseph Michael Fierberg, Delaney Love, Brian Martin, Alida Michal, Vanessa Mitchell, Julio Rey, Sam Rohloff, Julia Lynn Sammon, Charlotte Settle, and Mark Woodard.

Helming the Ogunquit Playhouse production is Fred Hanson. Mr. Hanson has directed productions for many regional theatres across the U.S. including the The Muny in St. Louis, Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, and Wolf Trap in Washington D.C. Internationally he directed Miss Saigon in Tokyo and in São Paulo, as well as Singin’ in the Rain, Baby, and Jekyll and Hyde in Brazil. He has worked on many Broadway shows and National Tours as Associate Director, Production Supervisor, Executive Producer and Stage Manager, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, Evita, Agnes of God, 42nd Street, Zorba, and the original productions of Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon.

Joining the creative team as Choreographer is Ginger Thatcher. Ms. Thatcher is currently the Associate Choreographer and Assistant Director for the musical Little Dancer, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. On Broadway she has choreographed The Red Shoes, Carousel, Big, A Year with Frog and Toad, and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. Additionally she has choreographed productions of Carousel, Syncopation, Big, Oklahoma!, Wild Women of Planet Wongo, The Winters Tale, and Swing!, on which she was also director.

Scenery is based on the original Broadway and London design by Anthony Ward, with adaptations and additional scenic design by Michael Allen. Mr. Allen has designed for the National Tours of Spiderman-Live!, The Wiz, and West Side Story, and designed adaptations for the tours of Miss Saigon, Oklahoma!, Sweet Charity, and Hairspray.

Music Director for Oklahoma! is Jeffrey Campos, returning to the Playhouse after serving as Music Director for last season’s highly acclaimed production of Ragtime. Additional Playhouse credits include, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Saturday Night Fever, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Victor/Victoria, The Witches of Eastwick, and many more! Mr. Campos has worked on the National Tours of Jekyll & Hyde, A Chorus Line, The Wizard of Oz, and Oklahoma!.

Sound designer for Oklahoma! is Kevin Heard, returning for his fifth season at the Ogunquit Playhouse, after designing for Mamma Mia! and Ragtime in 2017. Mr. Heard recently received an IRNE (Independent Reviewers of New England) Award for his Sound Design on Ragtime. Mr. Heard has been Associate Sound Designer for All the Way, The Cherry Orchard, The Country House, and Sylvia, on Broadway, as well as for Fun Home, Kinky Boots, and Matilda, internationally. Lighting design for Oklahoma! is by Ogunquit Playhouse Resident Lighting Designer, Richard Latta. Mr. Latta has created the lighting design for dozens of Ogunquit productions, including most recently, Mamma Mia!, Bullets Over Broadway, Ragtime, Heartbreak Hotel, From Here to Eternity, Anything Goes, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame for which he received an IRNE Award nomination for Best Lighting Design.

The Ogunquit Playhouse season has three additional musicals slated for its stage in 2018: the first regional production of the sumptuous new musical An American in Paris hitting the Ogunquit stage July 11 to August 4; the U.S. premiere of the hilarious new musical Grumpy Old Men the Musical on stage August 8 to September 1 just in time to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the classic 1993 Warner Brothers film starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret; and closing out the season is the regional premiere of the multi-Tony Award-winning, international sensation Jersey Boys on stage September 5 to October 28. Elf the Musical will be produced for The Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire just in time for the holidays November 28 to December 16, 2018. Tickets for Elf the Musical are available through The Music Hall at www.themusichall.org. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

When we speak of the impact composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II have had on musical theatre, it is perhaps easiest to think of it in terms of pre- and post-Oklahoma!. This is due to the fact that the show, the first collaboration between what would become the most dynamic and prolific duo on the Broadway scene, smashed all prior expectations and boundaries on what an American musical should look, feel, and sound like. Todd Purdum author of “Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution,” draws a comparison between the envelope pushing modern-day American musical Hamilton to the radical reception and critical acclaim Oklahoma! received at its time. By avoiding the typical smoke and mirror antics of show business around the turn of the 20th century, Rodgers and Hammerstein introduced new elements that enriched plot and character development through song, dance and script.

Pre-Oklahoma!, American musicals relied heavily on the buzz around a single well-known name, like Fred Astaire, Ethel Merman and Sarah Bernhardt to attract crowds and provide star power. Additionally, many musicals used the “formula musical” as a mold to create palatable and simple storylines that featured predictable plots with a strong baritone lead, a dainty soprano lead and a supporting tenor and alto in the background. The musical numbers featured were often fillers within the show, rather than carrying the story forward. Most musicals were light and whimsical with little to no character development, or utilized over the top slapstick humor to prop up the show.

Rather than select two headlining stars to perform, Rodgers and Hammerstein cast relatively unknown Alfred Drake and Joan Roberts to play the leads of Curly and Laurey, both of whom were actors, in addition to being singers. This show acted as a catalyst for both actor’s careers. One of the original show’s most distinctive features was the dream ballet sequence, choreographed by Agnes de Mille, which allowed audiences to experience the subconscious fears plaguing the young and impressionable Laurey. The decision to end the first-half of the show on anything other than an upbeat, happy note was a calculated choice on the part of Rodgers and Hammerstein, who wanted to leave viewers with something to think about and feel over intermission.

Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, served as the premise for the show, in which Riggs provides an inside glimpse into the unfolding of the Indian Territory of Oklahoma in the early 1900s. While both Rodgers and Hammerstein instantly saw the potential of the play taking shape in the form of a musical, there was much debate on what the show should be titled. Hammerstein originally wanted to call it “Oklahoma,” but was rejected at first because it was felt there was too strong an association with the term “Oakies” from the novel “Grapes of Wrath.” A working title of “Away We Go!,” was settled on temporarily, until the iconic song “Oklahoma!” was added to to the show. An exclamation point was added for a punch of energy and it then became the title we know and love today.

When Oklahoma! first opened on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theater on 44th Street, a New York review grimly dismissed the show with the quip "No Girls, No Gags, No Chance." Considering the political climate at the time, the United States was at the tail-end of the Great Depression and hurling into a war following the recent attack on Pearl Harbor, which resulted in musicals often avoiding themes of realism or tragedy. However, the relatable characters and challenges they faced within the show allowed audiences the opportunity to become emotionally invested, in a format never presented to them before.

Since typical financial-backers were hesitant to invest in a show featuring never before seen American folk-ballet, as well as mature themes, Rodgers and Hammerstein leaned on the friends and allies of the Theatre Guild to get the show up and running. Investors were shocked to discover that the show not only succeeded to draw in hordes of theatre-goers, but in fact would break box-office records. The show ran on Broadway for five years and nine months, a whopping total of 2,212 performances, thereby becoming the longest running and highest grossing show ever to grace The Great White Way.

Ushering in the golden age of musical theatre, Oklahoma! became a groundbreaking milestone in American musical history. It later went on to become a major motion picture in 1955. Realizing their knack for working together, Rodgers and Hammerstein continued their fruitful collaboration and would go on to write Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music, to name a few. Their musical theatre writing partnership has been called the greatest of the 20th century and has influenced countless numbers of composers, writers and choreographers to date. In total, Rodgers and Hammerstein have racked up thirty-four Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize for the musical South Pacific.

And now, in celebrating the 75th Anniversary since first opening on Broadway, the Ogunquit Playhouse is thrilled to produce Oklahoma! for our audiences. The Ogunquit Playhouse production features the original designs from Cameron Mackintosh’s London and Broadway revival and Susan Stroman’s Choreography, restaged by her Associate Ginger Thatcher.

In the early 1900’s Oklahoma was on the verge of becoming one of the last states - the 47th -admitted to the Union. It had previously been designated as sovereign Indian Territory and many Native American tribes from across the US had been relocated there. After the Civil War, as railroads and cattle drives began passing through, there was increasing pressure from all sides to open up this fertile farm and ranch land to white settlement. This began to happen in the 1890’s when a series of “land runs” were organized to distribute the so-called “Unassigned Lands” in the center of the state, allowing whoever got there first to drive a stake in the ground and claim the land as their own for cultivation. Eventually the Oklahoma and Indian Territories were combined to create the state of Oklahoma in 1907, bringing an end to the former Native American sovereignty.

The musical Oklahoma! is freely adapted from a play called Green Grow the Lilacs, by Lynn Riggs, who was born and raised in the northeastern corner of the state, in Indian Territory. His mother was 1/8 Cherokee. His play is a nearly a musical – full of folk songs (several of them sung by Curly, a singing cowboy), and is full of vivid characterizations and detail about the day-to-day lives of these recent settlers. Impressionistic and free-form, the play delves deeply into their complicated emotional lives, their resiliency, humour, and life and death struggles as they scratch out a living on the land while starting to create a structure and a community for themselves. Although the play is clearly set in Indian Territory, the main characters (including an Arab peddler), are white settlers nearly identical to those in the musical.

Even though Green Grow had been produced on Broadway in 1931, when Oklahoma! opened in 1943 it would have been considered very strange source material for a musical as audiences would have been much more likely to see the curtain going up on an energetic line of chorus girls, followed by some sketch comedy. The genius of Rodgers and Hammerstein was to recognize the possibilities in Riggs’ play to continue the development of the form by integrating music, dance, characterization, and story, focusing simply and honestly on the day-to-day struggles of regular people. During the darkest times of WWII this must have been extremely resonant as the country summoned its own resilience and determination in the face of the struggle to defeat fascism.

All of the action of Oklahoma! (aside from the last scene, which ties up all the loose ends) occurs over the course of one single day. But in that single day we see so beautifully revealed the hopes, dreams, and struggles of these iconic characters, as well as unresolved questions about what United States should be that we still see playing out today. The mix of humour, optimism, simplicity, open-heartedness, and transcendent music and dance are every bit as necessary, satisfying, and relevant today as they ever have been.