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

5/1/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- The NSU Summer Theatre will hold auditions for the musical "Oklahoma" Sunday, May 18, according to director Dr. Jack Wann. Auditions will be at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the main stage of the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium.

The popular play by Rodgers and Hammerstein calls for a large cast. Auditions are open to anyone in the community. Those trying out for a part should be prepared to do a short monologue, which can be memorized or read cold, and a song, preferably from a Rodgers and Hammerstein show. There will be a dance audition immediately following each set of tryouts.

"Oklahoma" will be the last play directed by Wann at Northwestern. He will retire June 30 to pursue an acting career in New York.

"I believe that 'Oklahoma' will be a warm and wonderful evening of musical theatre for the community," said Wann. "I hope many of the talented people in the community will audition along with the students who regularly participate."

"Oklahoma" will be presented June 19-22 and 24-29 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. The play will not be done in the regular summer dinner theatre format used for the past several years. Tickets are $10 with festival seating.

The play features songs such as "People Will Say We're in Love," "I Cain't Say No," "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and the rousing title song.

"Oklahoma" has been called "the best musical of the twentieth 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, an engaging farm girl, play out their love story.

The revival of "Oklahoma" recently closed on Broadway recently closed and national tours have started, so Wann aid NSU was fortunate to receive rights to perform the show.

For more information on auditions, contact Wann at (318) 357-6891.

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