Lake Park thespians set to stage 'Oklahoma'

It is not quite corn-on-the-cob season yet, but the stalks are "as high as an elephant's eye" this weekend for Lake Park High School's theater department.

This year's spring musical selection is Rodgers and Hammerstein's first musical together, "Oklahoma!"

Although it has never been produced at Lake Park, director and English teacher Kathy Weber believed it was time to expose this gem to the community.

"'Oklahoma!' is considered a ground-breaking musical," Weber said. "Audiences love the well-known songs."

Preparation has been taking place since auditions in February, with rehearsals every day after school. With an ensemble of more than 80 dancers and singers and a pit orchestra of more than 20, many are anticipating the first show, including leading man sophomore Ryan Keane.

"The musical is such a classic and a lot of people are familiar with it," Keane said. "We're all working a lot of hours honing and perfecting it as much as possible. I can't wait for opening night."

"Oklahoma!" takes the audience back to America's early frontier days. There is romance between the farmhand Curly, played by Keane, and the farmer's daughter Laurey, played by junior Mary Kate VanDuyne and junior Liz Freeman.

Trouble occurs when Jud Fry, played by senior Paul Gray and junior Dario Carrion, tries to steal Laurey away from Curly.

Sophomore Jeff Barak provides comic relief as Ali Hakim, a wily traveling salesman who is trying to avoid marrying the attention-loving Ado Annie, played by junior Angela Roiniotis.

Despite playing the "bad" guy, Gray believes Laurey should give Jud a chance.

"I really think that Curly is too self-absorbed and could use a little healthy competition to humble him a little," Gray said. "Curly comes in, new guy, and takes away not only Jud's territory but the girl he's been looking to be with, too."

Keane believes otherwise.

"Curly knows what he's doing, Jud does not," Keane said.

The show is at 7 p.m. today, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Dice Auditorium at Lake Park's East Campus, 600 S. Medinah Road in Roselle.

Tickets cost $7 for adults, $5 for non-Lake Park students and seniors, and no cost for Lake Park students with a school ID.

The cast for today and Saturday include Dan Anderson, VanDuyne and Carrion. The Friday and Sunday cast includes Andi Mele, Freeman and Gray.

Tickets can be ordered by calling (630) 295-5313 or e-mailing lptheatreboxoffice@lphs.org.