For the Centennial year, Lyric has developed a unique Arts Outreach program called Oklahoma! Interactive. Lyric has been sending a travelling troupe of performers to schools across the state to perform selections from Oklahoma!. This program combines musical theatre performance with audience participation and educational lessons about state history, culture, and the arts of musical theatre.
Lyric created the program from the ground up, first by authoring a study guide to accompany the performance that incorporates both factual information and relevant activities for the students to work on in class.
During the performance, Aunt Eller serves as the narrator who leads the audience on a 30-minute journey back in time. Curly, Laurey, Ado Annie, and Will Parker are the other characters who treat students to selections from the show, including "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'", "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top', "Kansas City", "I Cain't Say No", "People Will Say We're In Love", "The Farmer and the Cowman", and of course, "Oklahoma."
The actors use performance material to shed light on life in Oklahoma on the eve of statehood. They also explain many of Rodgers & Hammerstein's creative ideas that resulted in a groundbreaking Broadway musical holding special meaning for Oklahomans.
Throughout the program, students interact with the cast by participating in activities such as dancing the two-step, bidding on hampers at their own box social, and a sound off between the "famers" and the "cowmen." At one point in the program, a student is even invited up to the stage for a brief turn as Gertie and is asked to show off her best flirtatious giggle. After the program, a Q&A session gives students a chance to ask about everything from state history to how to embark upon a career in musical theatre.
Lyric will offer this program throughout 2007 and expects to reach close to 100 schools and 35,000 students. There is no cost to the schools for this program. Schools looking for more information can call Lyric at 524-9310.
This program is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Creative Genius. Valuable support has also been provided by Devon Energy Corporation, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma Arts Council, and Allied Arts.
