| The musical play, Oklahoma!, opened on Broadway on 31 March 1943 to a receptive audience because it bridged the gap between the trivial musical comedy and the old-fashioned operetta of the previous decades and because it was a skillful, integrated blend of music, dance, and drama.;The play was a close adaptation of Lynn Riggs's Green Grow the Lilacs, a 1931 folk play with incidental music. The plot of this Oklahoma! is concerned with the romantic pursuit of the heroine, Laurey, by the hero, Curly, and the villain, Jud. But Rodgers and Hammerstein added a comic subplot that is also a triangular love affair and therefore parallel of the main plot. In the end, the hero succeeds in winning the heroine; the villain is killed; the comic lovers are joined, and the comic blocking character is mildly punished.;Therefore, Oklahoma! is also a melodrama with good winning over evil. The play is set in the Oklahoma Territory of 1900, just before it became a state. The outdoor settings, local dialect, and patriotism all add to the realism, nostalgia, and general appeal of this play.;Another major element in the success of the play was the addition of a ballet which psychologically pantomimes the possible outcome of the story.;The libretto and lyrics were written by Oscar Hammerstein II, and the score was composed by Richard Rodgers. Their works tend to be conservative, decent plays, in which all songs and dances are integrated into the libretto. They oversaw all aspects of the productions and can be credited with the unprecedented run of the show for 2,156 performances.;The score consists of thirteen original songs that are repeated, either individually or as part of potpourris, to equal thirty-three music cues. All songs serve a function in the plot, most often characterizing those who sing them.;The major significance of Oklahoma! is that every aspect is integrated to produce a unified whole. It became a new prototype of musical theatre that was copied for many years to come. |
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