When Emma Cada learned Blair High School's production of the musical “Oklahoma!” would be moved to the spring, she knew she had to audition.
“I've always wanted to be in the musical, but it's always been in the fall and I play volleyball, so I could never audition,” the BHS senior said. “When they moved it to the spring, genuinely every single one of my best friends is in the musical, so we were all like 'This is the perfect move.'”
Cada quit soccer, auditioned and landed the lead role of Laurey Williams, opposite senior Nathan Hiykel, who plays Curly McLain.
“It was scary at first. I was nervous because I knew a lot less about the musical world than I thought I did,” Cada said. “But now, we've kind of moved forward and everyone has been so welcoming and taught me how to do everything. Now, I'm just having fun. I feel like I've always been a part of it.”
BHS will present “Oklahoma!,” written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, at 7 p.m. April 27 and 29 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. May 1 in the Lela Neve Auditorium. Audiences will be limited to 75% capacity. Tickets are available at www.showtix4u.com/event-details/49993. A link is also available on the school's website, blairschools.org.
The show, set in Oklahoma farm country in 1906, tells the story of Williams, a farm girl, and her courtship of two rival suitors, cowboy McLain and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry, played by senior Chase Jensen. A secondary romance focuses on cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancee Ado Annie, played by sophomore Sam Lager and junior Evie Storjohann, respectively.
Lager and Storjohann are also taking on lead roles for the first time. Both acknowledged the extra work they've had to put in with the bigger parts.
“It's a lot more nerve racking because there is just a lot more to do when you have a lead than when you're just part of the ensemble,” Lager said. “Both are still crazy fun and I love them both, but it's definitely a lot more with the lead.”
Storjohann said she prepared for her role by watching the movie about “100 times.”
“So it just feels natural honestly,” she said.
Cada said no one else could have played Ado Annie, but Storjohann.
“All of us were talking about how Evie was born for this role,” she said.
Lager agreed.
“Every other role totally could have gone to any number of people, but Evie was totally just Ado Annie,” he said.
“Oklahoma!” is an iconic musical and movie, which is not lost on the students.
“It's almost been a little scarier just because there are so many people in the community and even in the school that 'Oklahoma!' is their favorite musical,” Cada said. “Our assistant principal, Mr. Gutschow, is obsessed with 'Oklahoma!' and he asks us every day, 'Is the show going to be good? How's it going?' We have such an expectation to live up to because it is such an iconic musical.”
BHS director Victoria McNamara said the students have been working hard since auditions in February, but they've also faced some “ups and downs” after several had to be quarantined due to COVID-19 exposures.
“They've coped really nicely with all of that,” she said. “The kids attended Zoom rehearsal while they were quarantined. We missed a couple of beats, but they've definitely picked up the pace and they've been working incredibly hard so we weren't super behind.”
McNamara said she was proud of the students' resiliency and is looking forward to presenting the show.
“Overall, they've really bought into the world of 'Oklahoma!'” she said. “They're getting into it, which is good.”
