By Sheila Austrian
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in the community, Church Hill Theatre is again presenting a full-scale musical with a live orchestra this summer. As usual, audiences will experience a polished and professional show—but this excellence doesn’t come easily. Ten days before the show opens, Church Hill Theatre’s rehearsal is an exercise in controlled chaos. Dancers in warm-ups practice new steps only inches away from the stage crew moving fences and a windmill; a small group of singers huddles around a piano, trying to get the multi-part harmony just right; and actors stroll in, picking up props strewn all around the theater. Then the director, in her firm school-marm voice, asks everyone to take it from the top. And the magic begins.
Asked “why Oklahoma!?, ”Director Sylvia Maloney explains her excitement at bringing this classic to Delmarva audiences on the 70th anniversary of its groundbreaking Broadway debut. “The inter-generational message is still important,” she says, “because the characters experience adversity, come to grips with their problems and gain the strength to carry on.” Many of her younger performers are new to the story and music but the whole cast embraced the Oklahoma prairie ethos, particularly after last month’s devastating tornados.
Music Director Joan Blume is a first timer at CHT but brings vast experience as a conductor, vocal coach, and performer. She’s enjoying the challenge of adapting a full score to a very small orchestra, working with singers of varied training and experience, and inventing visual and musical cues to suit the set and choreography. New to Chestertown but a native of Cape May, Joan is happy to be back near the water in a friendly and interesting community.
Cavin Moore, Oklahoma!’s choreographer faces perhaps the biggest directorial challenge as she moves the entire cast across a less than generously large stage. With amateurs of mixed ability, she aims for group unison in strong, simple movements. “This is hard work,” she says, “but ultimately quite possible and very satisfying.” Luckily, for Oklahoma!’s iconic dream ballet, Cavin found trained and talented dancers able to interpret the scene’s emotional complexity.
While audiences won’t get to see the backstage buzz and constructive anxiety of a late rehearsal, they will be the beneficiaries of the enormous energy, talent and hard work that goes into musical theatre at its finest. Oklahoma! runs weekends from June 7 until June 23. Ticket information is available at the box office (410-758-1331) or on the CHT website: churchhilltheatre.org
Contact: Sylvia Maloney at [email protected]
Phone: Church Hill Theatre Office 410-758-1331
Church Hill Theatre Box Office: for reservations
Website: https://www.churchhilltheatre.org
Barbara Jorgenson says
All that hard work was on fine display on opening night! My husband and I were there and thoroughly enjoyed the show. My husband is still humming all the songs! Congrats on this show and on 30 years of great work.
Mary Wood says
Don’t miss this. A great show, our talented friends and neighbors, old and young, at their most charming best.
My congratulations to all the Ranchers and the Cowboys from our Territory