OKLAHOMA STORY GUIDE

OKLAHOMA is set just after the turn of the century (i.e 20^th Century) in the Indian Territory (Now Oklahoma).

Scene 1:

On a radiant summer morning, Aunt Eller sits on her porch churning butter and looking out over the meadow. Curly, a local ranch-hand comes to call. (1. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’). Curly and Aunt Eller's niece, Laurey, are quite fond of each other, but both are too pigheaded to admit it. (2. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’- reprise). When Curly offers to take Laurey to the box social that evening Laurey doesn’t believe that he can escort her in the style she would like and refuses to go with him. (3. The Surrey With The Fringe on Top)

Will Parker has just returned from Kansas City (4. Kansas City) where he earned $50 in a rodeo - the exact sum Ado Annie's father, Andrew Carnes, told Will he had to come up with if he wanted to marry her. Ado Annie is Laurey's friend but easily led astray by men.

Jud Fry, Laurey's hired hand, announces that he will take her to the social. Laurey is scared to turn down Jud, who is an ill-tempered character. Curly invites Aunt Eller to ride with him. (5. The Surrey With The Fringe on Top - reprise)

During Will's absence in Kansas City, Ado Annie has become friendly with the Persian peddler man, Ali Hakim, whose attentions Ado enjoys. (6. I Cain’t Say No! + 7. encore) Ado Annie may not know which way to turn but her father does: Will, (8. Whut You Gonna Do?) having spent his $50 on gifts for Annie and therefore no longer has the cash, has lost his chance at marriage. Laurey and the girls remonstrate over men. (9. Many a New Day + 10. Dance) Ali Hakim has been so forward with Annie that her father insists that nothing short of a shotgun wedding will do! (11. It’s A Scandal! It’s A Outrage!)

Laurey is confused about her love for Curly, and about her fear for Jud, but uses his invitation just to make Curly jealous. (12. People Will Say We’re In Love) After a short reconciliation between the two, Curly goes to see Jud in his smokehouse. (13. Change of scene)

Scene 2:

Curly describes a touching picture of just how popular Jud would be - at his own funeral (14. Pore Jud is Daid) and there is an angry exchange over Laurey. Alone now in his room, Jud confronts himself and his sad existence and fills himself with anger and thoughts of violence. (15. Lonely Room) (16. Change of Scene)

Scene 3:

(17a. Melos) Laurey wants to clear her mind between Curly and Jud but her girl friends ridicule her and offer their own homely advice; (17b. Out of My Dreams) she drifts into a dream (17c. Interlude to Ballet) – of a ballet sequence in which she is to marry Curly, but in her dream he is killed by Jud, who then abducts her. (17d. Dream Ballet) When she wakens, both men arrive, and Jud escorts her off to the party, leaving Curly dejected.

Scene 1:

At the box social (19. The Farmer and the Cowman + 20. Farmer Dance) Aunt Eller leads the men to the back of the house to bid for the ladies hampers – leaving Will and Ali Hakim to trade over Will’s presents for Ado – thus restoring Will his $50. Aunt Eller returns to the front of the house for the bidding on the last two hampers – Ado’s and Laurey’s. Ali Hakim, still trying to manoeuvre his way out of marrying Ado Annie, contrives to out-bid Will for Ado’s hamper thus leaving Will with his $50. For Laurey's hamper the bidding rises and so does the tension as Jud and Curly square up to each other. Curly sells his saddle, his horse and then even his gun to raise enough cash to buy the hamper and the right to escort Laurey, to the frustration and anger of Jud. (21. Change of Scene) With cash in hand, and a few rules in mind, Will approaches Ado Annie again, and this time Ado names the date. (22. All Er Nuthin’)

Scene 2: (23. Change of Scene)

Jud corners and confronts Laurey at the barn later on, and despite her fears she fires him. Jud runs off, and finally, Laurey and Curly confess their love for each other. (24. People Will Say We’re in Love - reprise)
(25. Change of Scene) Ali Hakim takes to the road while the going is good now that he is free of Ado – but not before he gives her a Persian good-bye!

Scene 3: (26. Change of Scene)

Some time later, Laurey and Curly are just getting married. Gertie Cummings, an annoying flirt who couldn't get her hands on Curly, has managed to also snare a husband - Ali Hakim. Will and Ado Annie are hitched as well and everyone is celebrating. (27. Oklahoma + 28. Oklahoma encore) The wedding festivities pall, however, when Jud Fry stumbles in, uninvited and unwelcome. He gets into a fight with Curly and, in the ensuing melée, Jud falls on his own knife and is killed. Curly's friends don't want him to have to spend his wedding night in jail and so, a trial is quickly held on the spot and Curly is acquitted. With their friends waving to them, Curly and Laurey set off on their honeymoon, "in a surrey with the fringe on top".
(29. Finale Ultimo – Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’)