NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

6/06/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-The future is full of opportunities and choices for Karen Burns. Does she want to be a country singer, an attorney or psychologist? Those decisions are in the future. Until the end of June the theatre/psychology major from Alexandria will play the engaging farm girl Laurey in "Oklahoma" which will be presented by the NSU Theatre June 19-22 and 24-29 at 7:30 p.m. in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Tickets are $10.

"I've always been kind of whimsical," said Burns. "I have had lots of interests. I plan to move to Nashville and work on a music career. If that doesn't work, I could go to law school or graduate school."

Burns has landed an internship at Deaton Flanigan Productions, one of the leading producers of music videos in Nashville. She has also talked with representatives of RCA and made a CD which is getting airplay on Nashville radio stations.

"I made several trips to Nashville and everyone was willing to help," said Burns. "I got a lot of good information about who can be helpful. When I get there, I will start off on the ground floor. A number of singers got their start with internships."

Burns isn't planning to act after leaving NSU, but her theatrical training has been valuable to her.

"Being in theatre has given me stage presence," she said. "You can't do what I want to do without confidence. You have to learn to relay what you have to say to the audience through song. My training has also helped me in talking to professional people in the business."

"Oklahoma" has been called "the best musical of the 20th century," capturing a special Pulitzer Prize for drama, two Academy Awards as a film, a special Tony Award in 1993 and four Olivier Awards including Best Musical in 1999.

The play was the first collaboration by Rodgers and Hammerstein and remains in many ways their most innovative, setting the standards and establishing the rules of musical theatre still being followed today. "Oklahoma" is set in a Western Indian Territory just after the turn of the century. The high spirited rivalry between the local cowboys and farmers provides a colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey play out their love story.

Burns has played Laurey before, earning the role in a production at Alexandria Senior High School.

"I didn't take advantage of a lot of the story line. There were terms I didn't understand," she said. "I appreciate the story a lot more this time and understand the language of Oklahoma."

According to Burns, she delayed going to Nashville so she could work with Dr. Jack Wann, who is directing his last play at Northwestern before retiring.

"The first show I did here was MacBeth which he directed," she said. "And as he leaves, I am doing my last show."

Dr. Wann has worked with me to help me find my character. He has let me in on some things about Laurey. She goes through a lot of growth during the play. She is girly and childish and likes to joke with Curly. She has to fire her ranch hand Jud and deal with his death. Then, Laurey falls in love and gets married."

Burns says she is about the same age as Laurey which helps her understand some of the things she deals with.

"At the beginning, Laurey plays coy with Curly and pretends she didn't like him which is something all girls do," said Burns with a laugh. "Sometimes you have to relate what goes on stage to something that has happened to you. That lets you understand the emotions."

Aside from the recognizable music of Oklahoma, Burns said the story is one that can appeal to almost anyone.

"The play has real circumstances just like real life," she said. "Nothing in the play is outlandish."

Tickets are available for Oklahoma. For information, call (318) 357-6891.

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