Many a new day

Happy that I took myself to see this glorious retelling of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic "Oklahoma.' This wasn't the 56 hit film that I grew up on but it still kept most of the charm and all of the musical numbers with an added punch of sexual titillation which was fine with me. The cast was terrific and attractive especially the male lead Damon Daunno in his snug jeans and splendid voice. It's a mix up of races and a wheel chair bound wonder Ali Stroker who has most know plays Aldo Annie and stops the show with her "I Can't Say No." The staging is startling and new, set in an almost bare stage where seating for some is on the actual stage and all the rest of us in the "cheaper" seats, (yeah really cheap at $100.00 a pop) sit in a horse shoe like shaped area which is intimate and small and puts you close to the action. Also wonderful is Rebecca Naomi Jones as Laurey and the veteran performer among all the young folks Mary Testa. The show is long over 2 1/2 hours so you certainly get your money's worth, and my only quibble is with the dream ballet that I found shrill and a little too much like what you might see in a college dance recital. I was longing for the original or a more classic take on the great Agnes De Mille choreography that thrilled me as a 9 year old kid. Not to be, but again a small deduction from another wise great time in the theatre. And no I didn't partake of the chilli and cornbread served up during the intermission, too many people and I had to take a wicked pee. If in New York see this one for sure.