The staging by Arena artistic director Molly Smith kicked off the inaugural season of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, DC, breaking all box-office records from Arena Stage's 60-year history. It earned ten Helen Hayes Awards nominations. (The awards ceremony is April 25.)
The July 8-Oct. 2 return of the revival on the in-the-round Fichandler Stage will feature the entire original principal cast and most of the ensemble. This second engagement sold the highest number of single tickets for a production in 24 hours when tickets went on sale March 3.
Nicholas Rodriguez (Broadway’s Tarzan, Arena's The Light in the Piazza) returns as Curly along with Eleasha Gamble (Arena Stage's The Women of Brewster Place, Signature's Chess) as Laurey, plus E. Faye Butler (Arena Stage's Crowns, Ain't Misbehavin') as Aunt Eller; Aaron Ramey (Broadway's Curtains, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Jud Fry; Cody Williams as Will Parker; June Schreiner as Ado Annie; and Nehal Joshi (Broadway's Les Misérables) as peddler Ali Hakim.
The cast as of March 31 also includes returning cast members Lucas Fedele (Ike Skidmore), Vincent Rodriguez III (Sam), Emilee Dupre (Vivian), Cyana Paolantonio (Ellen), Jessica Wu (Kate), Andrew Hodge (Slim), Shane Rhoades (Fred), Annie Petersmeyer (Virginia), Semhar Ghedremichael (Aggie), Cara Massey (Gertie Cummings), Hugh Nees (Andrew Carnes), Hollie E. Wright (Sylvie/Dream Laurey), Kyle Vaughn (Mike/Dream Curly) and Jessica Hartman (Female Swing).
The creative team of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! as of March 31 includes Helen Hayes Award nominees choreographer Parker Esse, music director George Fulginiti-Shakar and set designer Eugene Lee, along with costume designer Martin Pakledinaz, lighting designer Michael Gilliam, sound designer Timothy M. Thompson, fight choreographer David Leong, associate director Anita Maynard-Losh, assistant choreographer Ashley Yeater, assistant musical Director José Simbulan, stage manager Susan R. White, assistant stage managers Jenna Henderson and Taryn Friend, Arena Stage casting director Daniel Pruksarnukul and New York casting director Paul Hardt. For tickets and information, visit www.arenastage.org.
