Open Forum

For a project in my research-data analysis theatre class, I'm thinking about perhaps having students argue for or against including "It's a Scandal, It's an Outrage" and "Lonely Room".  I have DVD's of the 1955 version (excludes the songs) and the 1998 Royal National Theatre (includes the songs).  

Jud may end up being my focus, sparked by a comment in one of the reviews I found about the 98 version: ''This Jud is such a completely and complexly realized character that he threatens to become the show's center.''
Does including the song humanize him more and make him more of a real person (something we want for the characters we present on stage)?  Or does including the song dehumanize Curly's treatment of him?  There are lots of questions that continue to pop into my head for or against.  

So... I'd love thoughts, suggestions, any resources, especially with regards to portrayals of Jud and Ali, or to comparing the 55 and the 98 versions.

Thanks!

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Jessica Satryan
Arts Faculty: Music and Theatre
Philadelphia PA
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I'm assuming, by reference to the 1955 and 1998 "versions," that you mean the movie version and the National Theatre production that has been released on DVD.  I also assume that you know that the songs in question have always been part of the stage text, from 1943 onwards, and were merely cut for the movie, largely (though not entirely) for reasons of running time.

You bring up an interesting question for advanced students to discuss - I do something similar with several segments from Sweeney Todd in one of my classes.  It's a fascinating creative/academic topic, and we usually have great chats about it.

"Lonely Room" does flesh out Jud's motivations, as well as his point of view regarding Curly, so that he's not simply mean and threatening merely because he's mean and threatening.  In this way, he's more than a stock villain, which he rather becomes in the movie.  But I hardly think that the song makes him downright sympathetic.

Aside from the text, though, my recollection is that critics reviewing the '98 production were responding as much to Shuler Hensley's portrayal of Jud as they were to any fuller text that was being used - one reason why Hensley was one of the few members of that London cast who were used again when that production was replicated in New York a few years later.  I have rarely seen such superlatives written about an actor taking on a role that many people had played before.

Your discussion might be a good time to teach students about copyright issues, too - namely, that, if directing the show, they would have to get the licensers' permission to cut the songs, and such requests are not always granted.  (Rodgers and Hammerstein co-produced the movie version of Oklahoma!, so they could make cuts as they wished, but that doesn't necessarily imply their approval of making those same cuts in stage productions.)  That could lead to more discussion - would you go ahead and do the show, having to include songs that you as a director would prefer to cut, or would you choose another show?

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Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville FL

Thanks for your thoughts Jeff.  Love the idea of discussing the copyright issues as a part of this. 

Not sure if you are aware, but in my researching for this project, I actually found that the reason Shuler Hensley was brought over for the American version was because he was American.  I forget the exact reasons behind it, but members of the cast from the National Theatre production who were not American were not able to come over for the NY production.  I believe they had wanted to use more of the cast than they were actually able to.  (This is not to dismiss Hensley's amazing performance.)



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Jessica Satryan
Arts Faculty: Music and Theatre
Philadelphia PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-26-2014 14:15
From: Jeff Grove
Subject: Oklahoma 55 v 98

I'm assuming, by reference to the 1955 and 1998 "versions," that you mean the movie version and the National Theatre production that has been released on DVD.  I also assume that you know that the songs in question have always been part of the stage text, from 1943 onwards, and were merely cut for the movie, largely (though not entirely) for reasons of running time.

You bring up an interesting question for advanced students to discuss - I do something similar with several segments from Sweeney Todd in one of my classes.  It's a fascinating creative/academic topic, and we usually have great chats about it.

"Lonely Room" does flesh out Jud's motivations, as well as his point of view regarding Curly, so that he's not simply mean and threatening merely because he's mean and threatening.  In this way, he's more than a stock villain, which he rather becomes in the movie.  But I hardly think that the song makes him downright sympathetic.

Aside from the text, though, my recollection is that critics reviewing the '98 production were responding as much to Shuler Hensley's portrayal of Jud as they were to any fuller text that was being used - one reason why Hensley was one of the few members of that London cast who were used again when that production was replicated in New York a few years later.  I have rarely seen such superlatives written about an actor taking on a role that many people had played before.

Your discussion might be a good time to teach students about copyright issues, too - namely, that, if directing the show, they would have to get the licensers' permission to cut the songs, and such requests are not always granted.  (Rodgers and Hammerstein co-produced the movie version of Oklahoma!, so they could make cuts as they wished, but that doesn't necessarily imply their approval of making those same cuts in stage productions.)  That could lead to more discussion - would you go ahead and do the show, having to include songs that you as a director would prefer to cut, or would you choose another show?

-------------------------------------------
Jeff Grove
Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville FL