Oklahoma! The Musical in Review

What feeds your soul? What makes you come alive, or makes you excited to be alive? For me it would have to be dance, music, theatre and really the arts in general. It is just as important to fill your life with things that feed your spirit as it is to feed your body with healthy food.

I was given two complimentary tickets to the musical Oklahoma showing at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta and was asked to write a review of the show on my blog. Ever since I was a child I grew up watching musicals with my parents and have always loved them. Oklahoma was one of the first live musicals I saw and I have been hooked ever since. Last night I was thoroughly impressed with this production of Oklahoma. The acting was wonderful, the voices were powerful and easily heard, the dance choreography was impressive and the cast seemed selectively handpicked for their roles. It was obvious that the actors were having just as much fun performing as the audience was from watching.

Curly, played by Paul Saylor started the production off strong with the song, Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'. With blonde wavy hair, a strong powerful voice and a lot of heart I knew right away that I was not going to be disappointed. Next we are introduced to Aunt Eller, the feisty aunt, with a MFA degree from the Actor's Studio Drama School in New York City, she wowed the audience with her flair and beautiful voice. The chemistry between Laurey and Curly, the young stubborn couple, radiated from the stage in the number, The Surrey with the Fringe on Top. I was so convinced that Jud Fry, the evil character in the story who stood between Laurey and Curly's chance for love, was really evil, that I had trouble clapping for him at the end. I had to remind myself that he was just acting, he wasn't a villain in real life! The comedic couple Ado Annie (played by Shayla Osborn) and Will Parker (Jake Boyd) added lots of laughter to the evening. I especially loved them in the number All Er Nothin', where Will explains to Ado that now that they are engaged she can't go around kissing other guys.

This was my first time going to the Cobb Galleria for a performance but I will definitely be going back. Although the theatre is able to hold 1,00o audience members it maintains a cozy feeling and the seats are designed so that you can see the performance well from anywhere. My only suggestion if you are going to watch the musical is to get there extra early, the parking is a bit of a nightmare. We arrived at the Cobb Galleria at 7:30 pm and because of waiting in line to park we got our tickets at 7:55 and arrived at our seats just in time for the performance. Leaving the theatre also took a while, as we were parked in the parking deck and it took us about 20 minutes to get out with all of the cars. So, just make sure you arrive early and it should help you to avoid this parking problem. Overall, this was a very professional performance, it was a lot of fun to watch and the cast really made it their own. The dancing made me want to join in and the singing reminded me of how much I love to sing. I would highly recommend coming to the Cobb Galleria to watch this performance. You will not be disappointed! I also highly recommend finding what feeds your soul and making it a priority to incorporate those things into your life!