FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1-3-2007
Cast Update!

FOUNTAIN HILLS COMMUNITY THEATER IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
THE OPENING OF THE CLASSIC MUSICAL ‘Oklahoma!’

Fountain Hills Community Theater is proud to announce the opening of the classic musical Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! tells the story of the frontier romance between Curly McClain and a farm girl, Laurey Williams and features possibly the most tuneful and famous score in Broadway history. Hit songs include Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, Surry With the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We’re in Love and, of course, the title tune.

Oklahoma! is the first musical play written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. A special Pulitzer Prize award was given to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for Oklahoma! in the category of "Special Awards And Citations - Letters" in 1944.

The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943. While out-of-town critics expected it to fail, (No gags, no girls, no chance - wrote one critic.) it was a box-office smash and ran for a then unprecedented 2,212 performances, later enjoying award-winning revivals, national tours and an Academy Award-winning 1955 film adaptation. Originally entitled Away We Go, the musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farmer girl, Laurey Williams. Their love is challenged by Laurey's threatening farmhand, Jud Fry, and much of the play follows the tension generated by this conflict.

This musical, building on the innovations of the earlier Show Boat, epitomized the development of the "book musical", a musical play where the songs and dances were fully integrated into a well-made story with serious dramatic goals, that was able to evoke genuine emotions other than laughter. In addition, Oklahoma! features musical themes, or motifs, that recur throughout the work to connect the music and story more closely than any musical ever had before.

Oklahoma! is produced by Steve Mancarella and Patty Torrilhon, Directed by Peter J. Hill, Choreography by Noel Irick and Musically Directed by Debra Jo Davey. Oklahoma stars Laura Behnke, Mark Burkett, Megan Collins, Ross Collins, Matt Earnest, Megan Engler, Chris Fidler, Alex Gonzalez, Ted Hance, Jessica Herrmann, Hilary Hirsch, Kara Keosky-Smith, Stefan Linder, Kyle Link, Megan McCoy, Matt Mcdonald, Marsha Orson, Amy Powers, Molly Stellino, Roy Tomkus and Kay Watkins.

Oklahoma! will play Jan. 18 through Feb. 10, 2008. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 P.M. and Sunday afternoons at 2:00 P.M. Individual tickets are $20.00 for Adults and $15.00 for children 12 and under. All performances are at Fountain Hills Community Theater on its Mainstage at 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. (The Corner of Saguaro and Rand). Tickets are available through the theater Box Office at (480) 837-9661 x3. Box Office Hours are 10:00 AM-5:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday.

For publicity photos, please contact Fountain Hills Community Theater Publicity, Patty Torrilhon at (480) 837-9661 or visit our website at www.fhct.org for production photos.

For additional information not contained in this press release, please call Fountain Hills Community Theater Artistic Director, Peter J. Hill at (480) 837-9661 EXT. 7.