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Great Performances Presents Oklahoma!
OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EVENING TO HELP SUPPORT UNC-TV!
New All-Star Production of an American Classic—Nov. 22,
at 7 PM—on UNC-TV

“It’s not just a classic American musical but—and this is the real surprise—a truthful, touching and gripping drama about growing up and falling in love, about dreams and nightmares.”
—The London Daily Mail

Tune in Saturday, November 22, at 7 PM, and show your support for your statewide public television network as UNC-TV presents a London look at an American musical institution. It may be the most beloved musical of all time; it’s certainly one of the most famous. And it launched a new genre—created by the magical team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II in their first joint effort 60 years ago—the musical play. It is Oklahoma! And while it is one of America’s greatest cultural icons, its pure and powerful story of strife and love is universal. Now Britain’s Trevor Nunn, the brilliant artistic director of the Royal National Theatre (RNT), brings an exciting new production to the home screen.

As you might expect, this British version of a quintessential American story promises to be an interesting production. Opening to ecstatic reviews July 15, 1998, Nunn says the key to his work was a line in the song The Farmer & the Cowman: “I don’t say I’m no better than anybody else/But I’m damned if I ain’t just as good.” According to Nunn, “Revolutions have been launched over statements like that.” 

The New York Times called it a, “…triumphant, miraculously fresh-feeling production.” Nunn won unanimous praise for exploring the darkness and depth beneath the show’s sunny surface that, while never denying its charm and beloved musical numbers, fully reveals the underlying emotional complexity in the Rodgers & Hammerstein 1943 original.

Lanky Australian Hugh Jackman, X-Men’s Wolverine, lights up this musical masterpiece as cowpoke Curly. “His legs are as high as an elephant’s eye,” gushed the London Daily Telegraph, “he is 6 feet, 3 inches of perfect tanned cowboy.” The cast also includes Josefina Gabrielle as heroine Laurey, Maureen Lipman (The Pianist) as Aunt Eller, Vicki Simon as Ado Annie, Jimmy Johnston as Will Parker, Peter Polycarpou as Ali Hakim and Shuler Hensley as Jud Fry. Grizzled outsider Fry becomes strangely sympathetic—despite remaining an intimidating and dangerous character—thanks to Hensley’s Olivier and Tony Award-winning performance.

Five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman (The Producers), who re-conceived the original Agnes de Mille choreography for such classics as Kansas City, The Farmer & the Cowman and, most astonishing, the pivotal Laurey’s Dream Ballet. Blessed with leads who can sing and dance, Stroman eschews de Mille’s famous substitution of dancers for the actors in the ballet and gives the work her own distinctive spin, from jaunty innocence to violence and death. In addition to these numbers and the title songs, other classic numbers include The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We're in Love, Out of My Dreams, I Cain’t Say Noand Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'.

During this special day of musical theatre, you’ll be able to call in and support UNC-TV while getting some great gifts—including DVDs and CDs. Don’t miss this special statewide event—Oklahoma!—Saturday, November 22, starting at 7 PM—only on UNC-TV!

UNC-TV is North Carolina’s 11-station, statewide television network, committed to using telecommunications wisely and imaginatively to inform, educate, and enrich all North Carolinians.

—UNC-TV—