"Oklahoma!" O.K. Trivia Quiz

Answer: Oscar Hammerstein II

This was the first collaboration between the pair who would go on to produce such perennial favorites as "Carousel", "South Pacific", "The King and I" and "The Sound of Music". "Oklahoma!" earned the pair a Pulitzer Prize in 1944, in the category of "Special Awards and Citations - Letters". In all, Rodgers and Hammerstein have earned thirty-four Tony Awards for their stage productions, fifteen Academy Awards for the film adaptations, and two Grammy Awards.

Lionel Bart is probably most familiar for writing the book, music and lyrics for "Oliver!" (1964). Meredith Willson was similarly responsible for the book, music and lyrics for "The Music Man" (1957), while Stephen Sondheim, whose early career developed under the tutelage of Oscar Hammerstein II, had his big break as the lyricist for "West Side Story" (1957).

Answer: Green Grow the Lilacs

Lynn Riggs wrote "Green Grow the Lilacs" using traditional folk tunes (as suggested by the title) in telling a story about life in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906. The characters and the main plot remained unchanged in the musical. The play's ending was more ambiguous as to Curly's fate, and the sub-plot in which Will had to get fifty dollars in order to marry Ado Annie was added for the musical.

"Green Grow the Lilacs" ran for 64 performances on Broadway, featuring Tex Ritter as Cord Elam, and Lee Strasberg as the Persian peddler. The play had several touring companies, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, but is largely forgotten today except as the source for "Oklahoma!".

Answer: Agnes de Mille

Agnes de Mille, niece of the movie director Cecil B. de Mille, had established herself as a ballet choreographer with the American Ballet Theatre, and produced her first major work in 1942 - "Rodeo", with a score by Aaron Copeland, was staged by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

As a result of this, she was invited to choreograph "Oklahoma!", and created the famous 'dream ballet' sequence that ends the first act. In it, dancers portray Laurey's confusion over choosing between Curly and Jud, the two suitors who are competing for her affections.

This was one of the first times in which a dance sequence was used to move the play's plot forwards, not just as an entertaining break in the action. "Dream Curly" was danced by Marc Platt, "Dream Jud" by George Church, and "Dream Laurey" by Katherine Sergava.

Answer: Shirley Temple as Laurey

At the time, Shirley Temple was in retirement from the film industry, at the ripe old age of fifteen, with all her best films behind her. Rodgers and Hammerstein, supported by director Rouben Mammoulian, insisted that someone who was more dramatically suitable for the part be cast. For similar reasons, the suggestion that Groucho Marx could play Ali Hakim was also refused. Laurey was played by Joan Roberts, Curly by Alfred Drake, Ado Annie by Celeste Holm, and Jud by Howard Da Silva.

Answer: the producer

Composer Richard Rodgers, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, Jr and director Rouben Mammoulian were confident in their vision for the musical; producer Mike Todd was not so sure. Hammerstein had been involved with several financial flops, Rodgers and Hammerstein had no history together, there were no big name stars, and, as Todd pointed out, the musical offered little in the way of flashy semi-nudity or slapstick humor. Under the working title "Away We Go!", the musical opened in New Haven's Shubert Theatre on 11 March 1943 for its tryout run, before opening on Broadway on 31 March of that year. It ran for 2,212 performances, closing on 29 May 1948. Even during that time there were touring companies, and subsequent revivals have been numerous. Not bad for a show with no legs!

Mike Todd was a theater and film producer who is probably best known as being the third of Elizabeth Taylor's seven husbands.

Answer: Curly

Curly strolls onstage and into Laurey's yard singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'", and proceeds to flirt with Laurey while Aunt Eller watches. Curly asks Laurey to accompany him to that evening's box social, but she refuses, feeling that he has left it until too close to the event.

Answer: The Surrey With the Fringe on Top

"When I take you out, tonight, with me,
Honey, here's the way it's goin' to be:
You will set behind a team of snow white horses,
In the slickest gig you ever see!

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry
When I take you out in the surrey,
When I take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top!"

Curly describes the wonders of the surrey he has rented in order to convey Laurey in style; however, he then pretends that he has made it up when she teases him about his presumption. After all the twists and turns that remain in the plot, the couple depart for their honeymoon in said surrey.

Answer: Will Parker and Ali Hakim

While Will Parker has been away in Kansas City (the amazing nature of which he describes in the song "Kansas City") trying to earn the money Annie's father, Andrew Carnes, has demanded for her hand (but which he spent on gifts for her before returning), Annie has been flirting with Ali, a Persian peddler.

This $50 becomes the subject of some comical manoeuvres during the bidding for lunch boxes at the social. First Ali (who has become engaged to Annie at her father's insistence, but desires his freedom more) buys Will's souvenirs for $50; then Will bids $50 on Annie's basket, so that they will be able to share it. Ali, realizing that this would leave Will without the $50 he needs to satisfy Annie's father, bids $51. Eventually Annie and Will sort things out, and she agrees to stop flirting with other men, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

Answer: The Farmer and the Cowman

The conflicting needs of farmers (who wanted to maintain control over their land) and cowmen (who wanted their cattle to have free access to good grazing) was a fundamental tension during the days in which settlement was expanding across the United States.

In this scene, their fighting is stopped by Aunt Eller, who counsels reconciliation. In the context of the musical, the tension between Jud (a farmer) and Curly (a cowman) remains in full force at this point. It will be resolved, however, both through Jud's death and by Curly's transformation.

After Curly sells his gear in order to buy Laurey's lunchbox, he is no longer equipped to be a cowman; he will need to settle down and be a farmer when he marries his love.

Answer: Pending statehood

As the opening lyrics to the song state:
"There's never been a better time to start in life-
It ain't too early and it ain't too late!
Starting as a farmer with a brand new wife-
Still be living in a brand-new state!
Brand new state-
gonna treat you great!"

The musical "Oklahoma!" is set in 1906, shortly before Oklahoma joined the USA in 1907. In 1953 "Oklahoma" was officially adopted as the state song of Oklahoma, the first state song to come from a Broadway musical.

The closing lyrics of this song are the source of the title to this quiz:
"We know we belong to the land
And the land we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K.
L - A - H - O - M - A
OKLAHOMA!"