Big Island Weekly

David Parsons and Sandra Huitt have been cast as the leads in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s landmark Broadway musical "Oklahoma," the next production of Aloha Performing Arts Company. Parsons, a recent Yale graduate and APAC newcomer, plays the lovesick cowboy Curly McLain, and Huitt, recently seen as a Phantom in "The Rocky Horror Show," portrays Curly’s love interest Laurey Williams. Local voice teacher Francine Alexander plays Aunt Eller, and the mysterious Jud Fry is played by Miguel Montez, last seen in APAC’s production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." DK Place appears as the Persian peddler Ali Hakim, Katelyn Howard is the rambunctious Ado Annie, Don Chinery is her gun-toting father Andrew Carnes, and Johnny Gomez is featured as the gullible cowboy Will Parker. Ruby Savarese will appear as Gertie Cummings, Eugene Gall as Ike Skidmore, and Bill Cottle as Cord Elam. In addition, unique to APAC’s production, a Native American Girl and Boy will appear, portrayed by Saffron Datta and Keawe Nakoa Strance, respectively.

The show’s female chorus includes Robin Baker, Karen Barry, Heather Bartlett, Sarah Bellatti, Paula Cornwell, Sarah Crawford, Angel Eaton, Kim Eaton, Cathy Ellis, Nora Frank, Sara Frazier, Jeannine Guillory, Caitlynne Johnson-Underwood, Jackie Kalani, Raisa Klyne, Maya Krauss, Mia Kriebl-Bruno, Toni Reynolds, Cathy Riehle, and KayTee Turner. The male chorus members are Robb Dahlke, Simon Ellis, Dick Gray, Taylor Kinsey, Alec Lugo, Steven Orton, Joe Savarese, and Tyler Savarese.

"Oklahoma!" is the first collaboration of the legendary team of composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The original Broadway production opened in March 1943. It was an immediate smash hit, and ran for an unprecedented 2,212 performances, later enjoying award-winning revivals, national and international tours, and an Academy Award-winning 1955 film adaptation. It was revived on Broadway in 1951, 1979, and 2002, and had a memorable tour of the United Kingdom in 2010. In 1993, the show won a Special Tony Award for its 50th anniversary. APAC’s artistic staff for the production includes Jerry Tracy, director; Joel Gimpel, music director; Marinella Savarese, vocal and choral director; Lee Vinson, dance choreographer, David A. Payne, fight choreographer, Gerald Lucena, set designer; boB Gage, lighting designer; Carol Conner, costume designer; Katie Burck, sound designer; Laurie Wilson, props designer, and Jeannine Guillory, hair and makeup designer. Assistant director is Cathy Ellis, stage manager is Terry Ann Fujioka, technical director is Ariana Bassett, and producers are Jan Rae and Peter Schonberg. Joining Maestro Gimpel in the orchestra pit are musicians Sharon "Boom Boom" Cannon, Ezra Comesario, Scott Henderson, Scott Jeffrey, Chris Johnson, Gloria Juan-Tapa’atoutai, Andrea Lindborg, and Garry Russell.

Production dates for "Oklahoma!" are February 17 through March 11, with Friday and Saturday night shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. The performance venue is the historic Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. Tickets are $17 and $20, and are available by phone Monday through Thursday at 322-9924, online at AlohaTheatre.com, or at the box office beginning one hour prior to curtain time. For more information, call 322-9924.