1. The First Light of the Golden Age of the American Musical: Oklahoma! 9743043 Stella

2. Oklahoma! Richard Rodgers (composer) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyricist): the most consistently fruitful and successful partnership Carousel, South Pacific The King and I The Sound of Music Other works:

3. Written in 1943 The longest running Broadway musical of its time, a record it held for fifteen years Over 30,000 productions worldwide in more than a dozen languages.

4. Story of Oklahoma! Curly & Laurey: A couple do not admit their love to each other Jud Frey: intervene between Curly& Laurey Will & Ado Annie & Ali Hakim Aunt Eller: provide wisdom, respectable

5. Golden Age of the American Musical 1940s~1960s Background: 1929 Stock Market Crash, Great Depression, Entrance to WWII Get rid of the influence of traditional European operetta Try to form their own American style musical: Show Boat Show Boat" was the first musical to include show-within-a show numbers

6. Early Musical form Opening chorus :young and beautiful girls dress in well designed costume Ziegfeld Follies

7. Opening songs and dances: no special meaning and not relate to the story 0:33~1:35 2:16~3:25 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_em bedded&v=BjExqlkld3k#! 5:08~6:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_em bedded&v=FyGhmbfd7rY#! Clear line between dance and drama Songs and dances: lack of characteristics, emotion

8. Reform Oscar Hammerstein II : treat the subject frankly Innovation and challenge, unlimited : more elements the directions can use to tell story Integration of song, dance, character and plot

9. Song The songs must delving into characters and advancing the plot Oklahoma! : remove the opening chorus replaced by the solo of Curly “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEUtN2 1cuU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEUtN2 1cuU

10. With the description of the golden dewdrop on the meadow and followed by a series of description of the scenes : lead audience in to the world on the stage

11. Dance The early dance was only the combination of a set of fix steps tell the audiences what can not told in lyrics and songs by body movement Advance the plot not only show the movements

12. The ballet in Laurey’s dream: her marriage to Curly is interrupted by Jud knocking Curly unconscious and carrying her off Dream: the inner world of Laurey-DVD

13. The ballet provides a dreamlike non-reality and the music accomplished through a seemingly irrational medley of various tunes from the show: “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” and other songs Reality and non-reality: predict at least one possible outcome

14. American: National Identity Distraction from the hard life: playful and hopeful songs The people in Oklahoma! overcome difficulties and adversities: confidence and strength to help rebuild a world ravaged by years of war

15. “we know we belong to the land and the land we belong to is grand”: it conveys the concept of national identification “Oklahoma, ok”: “the State of O.K.” →”the state of okay” Bad thing will pass and everything will be fine Oklahoma! 1:06 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrDVzbeDz Rk

16. Thank you……