Film/TV Montreal Theatre

Oklahoma – HVT

Jordan Marchand as Curly
Jordan Marchand as Curly
By Sharman Yarnell for Curtains Up
Mounting a full blown musical production under professional circumstances is a difficult feat. For an amateur group, even more so. Once again, the Hudson Music Club has proven that almost anything is possible.Oklahoma (the first musical to be written by the team, Rodgers and Hammerstein) is the group’s newest musical at The Hudson Village Theatre and there are some beautiful voices and enjoyable ensemble acting to be heard and seen.

 

Stefania Vetere as Laurey
Stefania Vetere as Laurey

The two leads are Jordan Marchand (Curly), who has an outstanding voice and nabs the character well and Steffania Vetere (Laurey), who also, with notable vocals, puts in a lovely, sensitive performance.A real stand out in the production is Nathaniel Villanueva (Aki Hakim), the travelling salesman.  His comic timing is excellent and he is clearly having fun with the role…as we do with him.   Dominique Thornhill (Ado Annie) was colourful and funny, but lacked a more ditsy quality that is usually required for the part.Gail Marchand (Aunt Eller) has her role down pat and is a real standout, especially in the second act with The Farmer and the Cowman song. (Marchand is also the costume designer and ‘coordinator. The costumes were all different and wonderfully indicative of the time and place.)

Simon Cote (Jud) does a fine job of his role, made famous by Rod Steiger in the movie version.  Not as easy role to play, but he held the drama well.

What’s not to love in the music of Oklahoma? It’s vibrant, warm, funny and ‘sing-a-longable’ – as people were doing in the audience.

The set created by Jean-Claude Olivier pulls you right back to a ‘home on the range’ and tiny little shacks surrounded by fences. There was a beautiful backdrop of trees and a path disappearing into the wooded distance. The set even bleeds into the proscenium arch that was surrounded by barn slats. Very imaginative.

There is one drawback in the production. It is the size of the theatre: The HVT stage is not meant to house a large cast and certainly not musicals. The wonderful dance sequences of Oklahoma are lost in this production. (Although the second act does have some creative movement and dance in it, it is far too constricted.) Even when support cast members are on stage, they are so tightly squeezed, in they appear inhibited and independent character movements or personal involvements are impossible. So you are left, at times, with 15 or so people lined up staring at the leads.

Gail Marchand as Aunt Keller
Gail Marchand as Aunt Keller

The size of the theatre is also the reason that taped music is used rather than the orchestra, led by Sheila Engel Katz, as done in the past. Whilst it didn’t affect the performances, there is something to be said for a live orchestra present, supporting the actors. Oklahoma is big and  everything about it should be big. That includes an orchestra with live music. ‘Bigness’ was somewhat lost in this production.

The direction for such a large production in a small venue was demanding and obviously at times proved an insurmountable challenge for the directors of this production. Oklahoma is vast and this view of it gave us an entertaining and happy peek at what is possible.

What was very evident was how much the audience appreciated the show and music –  humming on the way out the front door.  Isn’t that what a musical is meant to do? Isn’t that true Theatrical Entertainment?

Simon Cote as Jud Photo by Mario Beauregard
Simon Cote as Jud
Photo by Mario Beauregard

On at Hudson Village Theatre until March 23.

Photos by Mario Beauregard

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *