Rating: 
Summary: Deserves its praise
Review: Hugh Jackman. Wow! And everyone else is just as good!
Rating:
Summary: absolutely brilliant production!
Review: I did not get to see a live performance of this production of "Oklahoma!", so I was very happy to learn that a recording had been made of one of the performances. For anyone who (a)is a Hugh Jackman fan, (b)did not get to see "The Boy from Oz", (c)loves musical theater, or (d)any or all of the above, this DVD is a must-have! My only critique of the recording is that I thought that there were just a few too many shots of the audience during the actual performance. (We know that this was done live, thank you very much!) The New York version of this production was very nice, but with all due respect to Patrick Wilson, a very fine performer, Hugh Jackman was the ultimate Curley! I am looking forward to his next venture into musical theater!
Rating:
Summary: Oklahoma Comes Alive
Review: I first saw Oklahoma in Shirly Jones/Gordon Macrae movie and liked it--even loved it--but I always thought that the movie missed the inherent darkness of the show. Then I caught this production on PBS and felt as though I was seeing it for the first time. This production is stunning. The set and lighting capture the dusty prairie life beautifully--in a way that the technicolor prettiness of the old movie never did. You really feel that these people are scratching out a living in this outpost. As for the cast, Hugh Jackman is brilliant. He's got the charm and the ease of character that make it easy to see why Laurie could fall in love with Curly even though she fights her emotions. And he can sing! His voice may not be standardly "pretty" but it conveys emotion and warmth that are impossible to ignore. As for Laurie, she is not some pretty little thing, but is instead a working farm girl. And to see the two characters actually perform the dream ballet was delightful. Why would Laurie dream about two people who aren't herself and Curly? I understand that you can't always get an actor who can also perform the complicated choreography, but in this case the actors can and it brings a new sense of immediacy to the dance. Shuler Hensley as Jud is a revelation. He's dark and dangerous--his scene in the shed with Curly is actually terrifying--but he's also intriguing. You are repulsed and yet drawn to this Jud. He's not a caricature of the menacing, hulking farmhand. He's a fully developed man with a mean streak a mile wide, but you can't stop watching him. The rest of the case is delightful. Maureen Lipman is funny as Aunt Eller but with a dry wit, less inclined to go for big laughs, and that feels right for the character. Ali Hakim doesn't sound like a Persian, but then he isn't one. He's a huckster, a con man, why would he sound legitimately Persian? He sounds like what these people in this tiny place would expect a Persian to sound like. As for Will and Ado Annie, I thought they were delightful. This production allowed me to rediscover this classic, while feeling as though I was experiencing it for the first time. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!!
Review: I have just finished reading the many reviews praising this production to the skies, and after having watched this DVD earlier today, I must say I agree wholeheartedly. Where to begin when the accomplishments are so many. This only goes to show what can be accomplished when you have a cast of such multitalented performers who seem to be able to do it all. Hugh Jackman is a standout of course, but I was not surprised after having seen him in The Boy From Oz in which he wowed us all and certainly deserved the standing ovation we gratefully gave him in the middle of the show. The rest of the cast is flawless, but special mention must be made of the actor playing Judd who gives his singing operatic proportions and his acting a depth and understanding of the role that will make you see this character in a totally different light.
Don't pay any attention to the two reviewers who gave this show a thumbs down, they are soooooooooo off base. One misses the technicolor of the movie version -hello, this is a stage production- calling it drab! Enough said. There are also quibbles about the accents not being accurate, the lack of makeup (couldn't they make them prettier for the audience?) and so on and so forth. Some of these comments are so inane you just have to laugh. No matter how excellent a production, there is always somebody who is going to pooh-pooh it based on sheer nonsense. Fortunately, they are a minority in this case. Don't let them stop you from seeing a truly remarkable production.
Rating:
Summary: A Oklahoman says....WOW!!
Review: I have seen many, many, many productions of "Oklahoma" over the last fifteen years. If you live in this state, it's pretty much a given that if one of your younger relatives (or a close friend's relative) has any musical talent at all, they will appear in a junior high or high school production of this musical. I've also enjoyed the summer performance at Discoveryland, which is the official "National Home" of the musical. And, of course, the 1955 film with Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae has been an often-watched favorite on my VHS/DVD shelf for many years. Frankly, I bought this DVD for one reason--I was curious to hear if Hugh Jackman could sing. Let's face it--he's gorgeous to watch (and my husband gets jealous every time I say that, LOL), but I had a great deal of trouble imagining him in this rough-and-tumble cowboy role. In fact, the thought of "Oklahoma" on the London stage was a concept I had trouble accepting intellectually. Boy, was I wrong.... :) I agree 100% with Mary Rodgers. If you only have the chance to see one performance of "Oklahoma" in your lifetime, THIS is the one to see. Shuler Hensley is magnificent as Jud Fry, and well deserving of all the awards he received. Jimmy Johnson and Vicki Simon make a delightful pair as Will Parker and the "I can't say no" Ado Annie. Maureen Lipman provides the heart of the family with her performance as Aunt Eller. But Jackman and Josefina Gabrielle...well, there are no words. They weren't the typical clean-and-polished Curly and Laurey that we're so used to seeing. Laurey was barefoot and wearing pants! Curly *looked* like a cowhand who had just come off the range. They were...well, real. Genuine. Laurey had doubts about marrying a cowboy; Curly had doubts about giving up his life in the saddle and settling down as a farmer. Curly was *nervous* when he stumbled through his proposal...and Laurey *still* had doubts about accepting.Again, the only word that comes to mind...real. Human. True human emotions. And, amazingly, not a British/Australian accent anywhere to mar the perfection. Oh, and did I mention that Hugh Jackman was gorgeous?? :) Yes, some of the set changes are a bit confusing when they cut in the audience reactions. But I was so caught up with the presentation that the distraction was a minor inconvenience at worst. If you're trying to make a choice between this version and the 1955 movie...get both. But get this one first :) Yes...Hugh Jackman can most definitely sing. And did I mention that he's...well, you get the idea :)
Rating:
Summary: A dream of a DVD
Review: I just saw this version last night on TV and I must say it breathed new life into Oklahoma! Each player is perfectly cast. When Jackman sings "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" you can practically smell the wildflowers on the prairie. His body moves about the stage with ease, creating a strength that was missing with Gordon MacRae, who tended to be charming but not much more. Josefina Gabrielle is a convincing Laurey, and it is nice to see a brunette in that role for a change. Shuler Hensley is magnificent as Jud, forbidding yet vulnerable. You can see the hurt, small boy in him, yet you would not trust him. His is an interesting character study. Rod Steiger was sexual, big, and brutish, but his voice was a mousy weak tenor. Shuler is threatening and has a marvelous voice to match. Vicki Simon as Ado Annie is a big improvement over Gloria Grahame whose singing style to me was always affected and annoying. Aunt Eller in this production is wonderful--we can see the girl she once was as she falls for Curly's surrey imaginings, closing her eyes to visualize it. She is a cross between Irene Ryan and Cloris Leachman, yet much fresher. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed this production. It was also great to see the Will Parker character twirl that rope and dance with such aplomb. It was also great that the dream ballet squence used the real characters, Hugh and Josefina, instead of substitutes. The players are all lively and completely engaged in the production. A thoroughly enjoyable version of Oklahoma.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, What a Beautiful Production!
Review: I love Oklahoma! I watched a stage production as a child and loved the move verson. I picked up this DVD because of Hugh Jackman and loved every min. The stage (props and set) were very inventive and the music and dance were great. The Ballet was great because the actors didn't have dance doubles and they were great. I highly recomend this DVD and the soundtrack. I just wish the 2nd DVD had more behind the scenes footage and cast interviews.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I love this performance, the talent that was gathered here makes the musical a great entertainment.
Hugh Jackman proves he's really an all-around talent, he's got the voice, he's got the looks!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Wonderful
Review: I loved the stage production of Oklahoma, especially with Hugh Jackman as Curly. I have had the songs stuck in my head for days and I just want to watch it again and again
Rating: 
Summary: This "Oklahoma" is better than OK!
Review: I ran across this version of Oklahoma on PBS and ordered the DVD soon after. I was amazed at how much better the London theater company's version was than the movie! The more familiar movie now seems flat after watching this fresh, vibrant production. I was surprised at Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Curly; I soon found out that he has appeared in other major musicals on stage in Australia for years. Shuler Hensley was terrific as Jud Fry. This rendition was not quite as "hokey" as the movie; the dialogue gave more depth to the characters. Downsides: the traveling peddler was weak and cuts to the "live" audience were distracting.
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