Bass Hall audiences will see a modern take on ‘Oklahoma!’ that embraces America’s diversity

Fresh takes on the smash hit “Oklahoma” are nothing new.

Director Daniel Fish has toyed with the productions of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical for nearly two decades. But this one, which debuted on Broadway in 2019, is visibly different.

His creative retelling “Oklahoma!” runs Tuesday, June 21, through Sunday, June 26, at Bass Performance Hall as Broadway at the Bass’ season continues with three musicals.

Fish sees his take as timely and modern. The cast is diverse, including Black, transgender and and a variety of faiths represented. They dress in modern clothing. While guns figure prominently and set the stage for a violent conclusion, they also have another purpose.

A minimum of $100 is donated to an organization working toward reducing gun violence as lined out by the Gun Neutral initiative, a nonpartisan effort to “offset and account for the monetization of gun violence in entertainment” for “storytellers, producers, and financiers.”

The story is still nonetheless classic.

“This is the OKLAHOMA! that was there all along,” wrote New York Magazine’s Sara Holdren.

“To some, the music is in their DNA and the story is familiar like a distant cousin. To others it is new. The richness of this tale has an endless capacity to present itself anew for every generation since its 1944 premiere,” Fish said in a statement.

Like other renditions, “the interplay in “Oklahoma!” between confronting an American past and imagining an American future resonates deeply in moments of great change.”

But this version is darker, confronting the realities of what it means to create an outsider and scapegoat. That’s the case in Fish’s interpretation. The story remains the same as the original. In 1906 in rural Oklahoma, on the verge of becoming its own state, Laurey Williams, a farm girl, is courted by cowboy Curly McLain and farmhand Jud Fry. The courtships intensify. The cunning and sinister Fry and McLain face off, just as tensions rise between farmers, Native Americans and cowboys. Fish turns an accidental death into a murder.

“Our production strives to meet every audience with equal invitation to experience this classic American Musical anew. It changes every night, because our audience changes every night. America is wildly diverse, and we seek to represent a small yet crucial part of that diversity, even as it has widened the division between our fellow citizens,” Fish said.

“We look forward to presenting this reimagined production to Fort Worth audiences,” said Jason Wise, Performing Arts Fort Worth’s vice president of programming and engagement management.

“Oklahoma!” isn’t the only star of the remaining season. The 50th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” comes to town from July 12-17 followed by “Mean Girls,” directly from its latest Broadway run, on July 26-31.

Wise noted “seasons usually planned at least two years in advance, and sometimes even further out than that based on the show title. A blockbuster can get booked several years out due to high demand.” But the pandemic created an added layer of programming challenges as planned tour routes and show titles continue to change. Bass Hall was not immune to delays, with popular shows such as Hamilton pushed back an entire season.

Performing Arts Fort Worth still has announced its 2022-2023 season, also marking the Hall’s 25th year.

The season, presented by PNC Bank, includes “My Fair Lady,” “Annie,” “Pretty Woman,” “Tootise,” “Elf” and the new Broadway hit “Hadestown.”

Also returning to Fort Worth is “The Lion King,” which last played here in 2002.

This story was originally published June 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.