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80 YEARS AND COUNTING
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! reaches 80-year milestone on March 31
Oklahoma! premiered on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in New York on March 31, 1943. Set in Indian Territory just after the turn of the 20th century, the spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the backdrop for the love story between Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a beautiful farm girl. The popular musical was based on the 1931 play Green Grow the Lilacs by Claremore native Lynn Riggs. Oklahoma! was the first musical written by the legendary team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Oklahoma! began a new era in American musical theatre and one of the most successful songwriting partnerships that Broadway has ever seen. The musical closed after 2,212 performances.
See the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) exhibit dedicated to the musical Oklahoma! and the film that followed in 1955 in the Sam Noble Gallery of the OHC. The exhibit Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!: The Birth of Modern Musical Theatre and a New Image for the State is bursting with playbills, posters, sheet music, memorabilia, and costumes from multiple productions of the play. Turntables, radios, and artifacts from the era of the musical are also on display.
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Create your own performance of Oklahoma! at the History Center
The Oklahoma! exhibit is uniquely interactive, with a miniature stage where fans and schoolchildren can create their own impromptu performances! Costumes and props located backstage are the perfect addition for getting into character and experiencing the theatrical lifestyle while visiting the OHC. Along with a rich history of the musical's development, this stage setting engages patrons to add their personalities through dance and song with tactile, audio, and visual components.
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WE KNOW WE BELONG TO THE LAND, AND THE LAND WE BELONG TO IS GRAND
Oklahoma!—the origin of our state song
On the 80th anniversary of the landmark musical, the Oklahoma Historical Society celebrates the legacy and influence of Oklahoma! on the state. Visit the OHS/Google Arts and Culture story Oklahoma! The Musical's Impact on the State to learn about the history of our state song, the development of the songs for the musical, and its ongoing popularity.
Oklahoma's State Song was adopted 70 years ago
As a young legislator, George Nigh from McAlester—who would later serve as lieutenant governor and governor—introduced House Bill 1094, which advocated for the title song “Oklahoma!” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical to become the new state song. Nigh recruited McAlester native Ridge Bond, who played the role of Curly in Oklahoma! on Broadway, and a choir from the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha, to sing “Oklahoma!” on the House floor during debate. Their performance was a hit, eliciting cheering and clapping. The measure passed the House on April 28 and the Senate on May 6. After Governor Johnston Murray signed the bill, Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" became the official state song on September 5, 1953.
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O–O–O–O–OKLAHOMA
Taking Flight: Oklahomans Explore the Skies
The Oklahoma History Center's (OHC) newest exhibit, on display in the Vose Gallery on the first floor, explores the ways Oklahomans contributed to all aspects of aviation. Taking Flight: Oklahomans Explore the Skies explores both military aviation and the development of commercial flight through interactive spaces, artifacts, and photos.
This featured image depicts Women’s Army Air Corps Sergeant Velma E. Trottingwolf (Cherokee) with a fellow officer at the christening of a B-29 bomber at the Oklahoma City Air Technical Service Command (present-day Tinker Air Force Base) in 1945. After serving in World War II, Trottingwolf was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant on December 11, 1945. As indicated by the aircraft’s nose art, the bomber was dedicated to the musical Oklahoma!, which at that time had just recorded its 1,000th performance on Broadway (2012.201.B0919.0452, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS).
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CHICKS AND DUCKS AND GEESE BETTER SCURRY
Oklahoma! e-exhibit
Learn more about Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! through the e-exhibit that explores every aspect of its success. Dig deeper to learn how the piece originated, the process of writing the music for the Broadway production, a listing of key characters, a full song list, and fun Oklahoma! facts. Educational, printable activities are also available through this online resource for families and educators alike. Click here to view the e-exhibit.
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NEW ACQUISITION
Oklahoma! (1955) film costume donated to OHS
The 23-inch, tiny-waisted skirt, petticoat, and white jacket worn by Shirley Jones in the opening scenes of the film Oklahoma! (1955) were recently donated to the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS). The clothing items, along with her buttoned shoes, and a straw hat once worn by Ado Annie's character, are now being preserved in OHS collections storage. A few items are being evaluated by a conservator and will receive the proper care to ensure they are saved for future generations to enjoy. The costume was donated to OHS by Gene and Paula Reynolds.
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A SIX-STORY TYPO
Spelling trouble
In 1956, at Brandt's Mayfair Theatre in New York, a large-scale typographical error was made on a giant advertisement of the then-new film Oklahoma! (1955). In this photo, a woman holds a small sign indicating the change needed to the six-story sign, replacing the second "O" with an "A." If you look closely, you will see two workers on a suspended scaffolding at the letter in question, about to make the correction. The building wrap boasts of "popular prices" for the film, which in 1956 may have been about 65 cents per person.
(2012.201.TP0392.0631, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS).
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Click event listings below for more information.
28 - Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma exhibit opens, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
29 - Vietnam War–Era Veterans Commemoration Ceremony, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
31 - Movie Night featuring Will Rogers in They Had to See Paris (1929), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
31 - #ExploreOHS Travel Contest concludes, OHS museums and historic sites, statewide
1 - Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit opens, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Hominy
1 - Museum OKademy volunteer training class and lecture, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
1 - Annual Heritage Hills Easter Egg Hunt, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
1 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
7 - “Museum After Dark: Liquid History” and Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma exhibit opening, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
8 - A. Day's Work art exhibit opens, Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library, Guthrie
8 - Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
8 - Spring Bake Day, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
8 - Easter Egg Hunt, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
8 - Embroidered Patches class, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
8 - Second Saturday Sewing Circle, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
9 - Sunrise Service, Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum, Pawnee
12 - “Lunch and Learn: US Fish & Wildlife Service Historic Resources at the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center” webinar (VIRTUAL), State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma City
13–15 - "The Coalition of Historical Trekkers" living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
15 - Quilting workshop with Martha Ray, Sod House Museum, Aline
15 - Carriage House Sit and Sew, Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
15 - History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
15 - Kids Make History, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
15 - “The Civil War in Indian Territory: Indigenous Memory and Perspective” presentation by Midge Dellinger and Gano Perez Jr., Honey Springs Battlefield, Checotah
19 - Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Committee meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
20 - Story Time at Hunter’s Home, Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
21 - Education Day, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
21 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - “Perspectives in History”: The 2023 Oklahoma History Symposium, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - Oklahoma Historical Society Membership meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors Organizational meeting, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - Fun and Games at Hunter's Home, Hunter’s Home, Park Hill
22 - “Traveling by Keelboat” living history program, Fort Gibson Historic Site, Fort Gibson
22 - Hands-On Historic Skills, Fort Towson Historic Site, Fort Towson
22 - Earth Day Block Printing class, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
22 - "Glass and a Glass!" glass fusing class, Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue, Ponca City
24 - "Ice Cream Social" Kilgen Organ Performance by David Marsh, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
28 - Movie Night featuring Will Rogers in Doubting Thomas (1935), Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore
29 - Frozen in Time: A Photographic History of Northwestern Oklahoma exhibit closes, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Enid
29 - Historical and Modern Use of Medicinal Plants class, Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City
30 - Hammered Aluminum Ware exhibit closes, Fred and Addie Drummond Home, Hominy
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Masthead image: The cast of Oklahoma! lines up around the famed "Surrey With the Fringe on Top," 1946 (2012.201.B0957.0598, Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection, OHS). |
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