Last year’s “Sweeney Todd” was wonderful, but this year’s musical was just as amazing. From Jan. 20-23, CHS performed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical “Oklahoma!”

The musical was created in the middle of World War II, intended for people to watch something optimistic. The plot revolves around two lovers.

Overall, the show was incredible. It was easy to see that every member of the cast was into the play, becoming their actual characters. Two actors that did an exceptionally convincing job of their parts were seniors Justin Elliot and Ruthie Polinsky.

Elliot, playing the role of the peddler Ali Hakim, did a humorous job of delivering his lines to the audience to the point that whenever he came onto the stage, the audience automatically started giggling. Polinsky, taking on the role of Ado Annie Carnes, brought her character to life just by her facial expressions and body language when speaking. With these small details, it made her part seem even more hilarious.

One part of the show that was quite enjoyable was the song and dance number for “The Farmer and the Cowman.” The cast did a dynamic job of making every dancer move in unison, and each dancer looked like they were having fun.

What also made this play interesting was that it looked like everyone was from the era during which “Oklahoma!” takes place. The costumes were realistic, and most of the clothing designs wonderfully mimicked clothing from that time period.

The female singers sounded lovely and sweet. One of the songs that sounded particularly nice was “Many A New Day,” in which all the female cast members sang. It was wonderful.

What was surprising about this musical was the depth and power of the male singers. This year’s bunch was a great group. Many helped the show become livelier.

Individuals that should be mentioned are seniors John Holland and Ian Miller, junior Fergus Inder, and sophomore Robbie Love. All of these individuals stood out in their own way, and their characters were developed and strong. They all contributed to the play with their roles, and it helped the musical be full of energy.
Another impressive aspect was that the show felt like it was run professionally. The singers were all animated, and the cast really was able to bring the play to life. The cast did not look like they just memorized lines and regurgitated all of them.

The set was also a strong point in the play. The houses actually looked real with grass uprooting from the bottom of the ground.

One section of the stage that was enjoyable was the background screen with the house and a barn on it. It gave more depth to the stage and made it feel like the audience was actually in Oklahoma.

The pit orchestra’s performance was also one of the most impressive of the show. The pit was given less time to learn the music than they have in the past; however, despite the time crunch, they did an incredible job learning the music and sounded effortless. 
The music was also very well controlled and did not overpower the singers on stage. The singers were heard clearly, and it was a perfect balance between the accompaniment and the singers.

The best collaboration of the show between the pit and the entire ensemble was the musical’s signature song, “Oklahoma!” There was much energy in this song that it was hard not to smile. The pit did a great job staying with the cast, and vice versa. There were many high notes in the pit music for this piece, but the players did a wonderful job.

This was just a show that had to be seen to have been believed.