Written By Brae Foust
The first introduction of Oklahoma! for me personally was from watching the movie Twister, in which a couple of storm chasers sing the iconic titular song as they chase their first tornado of the day. It’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s first and most iconic musical from all their works & it is easy to see why. The show is adapted from the play Green Grow the Lilacs written by Lynn Riggs and has been performed by countless companies, dating back to March of 1943. This rendition we are discussing this time around was performed by the students at Howard Payne University to open their 2025-26 season.
Dr. Christopher Rosborough had the pleasure of being the man behind the podium, in control of both orchestra & singers on stage. I’m glad he allowed his singers to sing with those western accents, as it both allowed pronunciations to be more clearly, but it allowed the students to have more fun with their work. What stood out to me, however, was the choice of a smaller orchestra rather than a full-blown orchestra. Now it could be because this was what he was able to bring into the mix, but the small orchestra compliments the music and show, much more than what a full orchestra would create. It produces a more intimate setting for the production & let each section have a moment to shine.
For a college production, simple set designs are expected with a few set piece changes. The lighting was a good fit for night and day changes, and I enjoyed the moveable sets as well. What stuck out the most to me and was legit one of my favorite parts of the show was the LED screen to represent the background of 1900s Oklahoma territory. The way it shows a continuous shot starting with the morning leading into midday put such an impression on me and I see it as a brilliant investment for future productions at Howard Payne.
Curly, played by Victoriano Cooper, catches you in the palm of his hand with the first few words of his opening number, showing off his optimistic view of the world he lives in and the people in it. Laurey, played by Kourtney Melton, is such a sweet and gentle character, and Kourtney makes you hope she finds love as well as make you want her to find happiness. Ado Annie, played by Georgia Barganski, gets her moment to shine with ‘I Cain’t Say No!’ and is determined to get the boy, while Will Parker, played by Wyatt Benoist, is determined to be that boy to get, whether that’s by showing off his dance moves or by buying some gifts. Aunt Eller, played by Lily King, is probably the most relatable character on stage & she will make every adult in the audience say to themselves ‘I totally get her.’ The rest of the ensemble plays and relishes in their characters, making the stage more complete. What can I say, they all did fantastic.
Director Kristin Faulkner got a chance to put her own spin on a classic production, and she hits it out of the park. I can say that if this show is as good as what the future of the season has in store for us, we are in good hands. Friend night, date night, family night, any kind of night you are thinking of is a perfect night this weekend to go check out this musical. The show will be performing all weekend long, starting with tonight at 7:30 PM in the LJ Mims Auditorium. If you can’t make it tonight, they will have performances on October 11th at 7:30 PM as well as a matinee performance on October 12th at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $5 dollars per person both at the door or online at hputx.givevirtuous.org/event/homecoming-2025/tickets. Come out to the Howard Payne production of Oklahoma! this weekend, oh what a beautiful day it would be to witness this journey back to a simpler time.
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Brae Foust, along with being a DJ for KOXE radio and Sports Broadcaster for local area sports, is a classically trained Baritone who graduated with a degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University. He has performed regionally with the Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Amarillo Opera, and Lubbock Moonlight Musicals. Additionally, he has performed around the country, including Lincoln Center in New York City.
