Oklahoma! off to great start at Oakengates Theatre - with pictures
It tells the tale of the high-spirited rivalry between farmers and cowboys at the turn of the century.
Now, the much-loved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Oklahoma! has been brought to the Shropshire stage by the Telford and District Light Operatic Players, known locally as Tadlop.
Set for its third night this evening after opening on Wednesday at Oakengates Theatre, the show follows the stories of Curly McLain, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey Williams, a winsome farm girl, who play out their love story.
The show features hit songs including Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin', The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, People Will Say We're in Love and Oklahoma! – leaving the crowd walking away with smiles on their faces.
Its part of the group's celebrations for the 85th production and 45th anniversary.
Organisers have been delighted with a 'fantastic' start to the show and are urging people to head along to see the production with tickets still remaining.
Lyndsey Bird, publicity manager for Tadlop who also plays a small role in the play, said: "Wednesday was our opening night and it went really well.
"We definitely enjoyed ourselves and the audience seemed to well.
"The audience were clapping along and laughing in all the right places! They really got behind some of the energetic dance routines.
"We have about 35 members on the stage and then there's our production team too, who direct the show and choreograph the dance routines.
"There's our stage crew who move all our sets and allow the transitions to go a lot smoother than if we had to do it – without them we'd be useless."
The amateur production continues this evening before the curtain closes on Saturday night.
Cast members have spent the past six months rehearsing for Oklahoma! before its four night stint at the theatre.
When it comes to a close, work will almost immediately begin on the group's next production in 2018, which will see a musical adaption of the film Made in Dagenham brought to the stage.
The show will tell the stories of the women who joined the picket line at Ford factories in the east London town in 1968 – 50 years since it happened and coinciding with Telford's 50th anniversary.
Lyndsey added: "It's a lot of hard work with six months of rehearsal but we like to think we come up with a good standard of show and send people away with a smile on their face.
"You work very hard in that time, especially with a show with some difficult dancing routines in. You feel the nerves when you're ready to go on but the second you step onto that stage they all disappear and it's just excitement throughout.
"When it's over we all get a bit sad but there's no rest as we start on the next show!"
Tickets for Oklahoma, costing £14 per person, are available for tonight and the final show tomorrow from Oakengates T heatre.
For more information go to theplacetelford.com
