Everything you need to know about the ‘Oklahoma!’ revival in the West End

From how to get Oklahoma! tickets to when to see Oklahoma! at the Wyndham’s Theatre, here’s your ultimate guide to the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow! We've got a beautiful feeling that everything's going our way, as Oklahoma! heads to London. In Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! revival, audiences can see the corn as high as an elephant's eye in this stripped-back production. Even though the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is over 75 years old, this production is a daring theatrical feat. Discover why you need to see Oklahoma! in London in 2023.

Book Oklahoma! tickets on London Theatre.

What is Oklahoma! about?

Based on Lynn Rigg's 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, and set at the turn of the 20th century, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! musical follows cowboy Curly and outsider Jud as they aim to woo farmgirl Laurey. There's geographical debates too, as the state lines are drawn up. Can the communities come together in the new state of Oklahoma?

Where is Oklahoma! playing?

The Oklahoma! musical plays at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End. The Wyndham’s Theatre is a central London venue located on Leicester Square. Previous shows at the Wyndham’s Theatre include Life of Pi and Leopoldstadt, both Olivier-winning Best Plays.

How long is Oklahoma! in the West End?

The Oklahoma! running time is 2 hours and 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval. Matinee performances begin at 2:00pm and will finish at 4:50pm. Evening performances begin at 7:30pm and will end at 10:20pm. Find out more about running times of West End shows.

What days is Oklahoma! playing?

Oklahoma! plays eight performances a week at the Wyndham’s Theatre. Evening performances take place daily from Monday through Saturday. Matinee performances take place on Wednesday and Saturday. For the complete performance schedule and show times, please visit the Oklahoma! page to learn more.

When did Oklahoma! premiere?

Oklahoma! premiered at the St. James Theatre on Broadway on 31 Mar. 1943. Oklahoma! didn’t receive any Tony Awards, as the first Tony Awards ceremony took place in 1947. However, Rodgers and Hammerstein did walk away with a coveted Pulitzer Prize.

The show played 2,212 performances on Broadway, closing on 29 May 1948. Subsequent Broadway revivals of Oklahoma! took place in 1951, 1979, 2002, and the 2019 Broadway revival.

Oklahoma! brought the Indian Territory to the West End in 1947, and played for 1,543 performances at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Subsequent West End revivals of Oklahoma! took place in 1980, and 2002.

Who wrote the Oklahoma! musical?

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II penned their debut musical Oklahoma! together. Oklahoma! transformed modern musical theatre forevermore, as it was one of the earliest "book musicals" — a type of musical that utilises the songs in its story.

Other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals include South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Find out more about Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.

Oklahoma! Characters

During Oklahoma!, you’ll discover the lives of farmers, cowboys, and everyone in between. Join the territorial dwellers at a monumental time in history and see what happens when people from all walks of life come together. Read on to find out more about the main characters you will see on stage in Oklahoma! in London.

Aunt Eller: Aunt Eller is a respected woman in her community. She owns the farmstead and many people look up to her for advice and guidance. She’s often called upon to keep the peace between different communities, but will always have her eye open to help her niece, Laurey. Territory folks should stick together after all!

Laurey: Aunt Eller’s niece, Laurey, is a young, independent woman who wants to grow up and make her own decisions in a daunting world. Cowboy Curly and farmhand Jud vie for her affection, but Laurey finds it difficult to decide who to spend the rest of her life with.

Curly: Curly considers himself to be the best cowboy in all the land. As he sings in “Oh What A Beautiful Mornin’,” everything is going his way, but when he comes across Jud Fry, can he win Laurey’s heart?

Jud: Jud Fry is aunt Eller and Laurey’s farmhand. Although he lives in a reputable farmstead, his smokehouse is anything but presentable. Jud's a social outcast too, and few people spend time with him, but can Jud earn Laurey's respect?

Ado Annie: Ado Annie sees herself as an independent and headstrong woman. But she’s tied to Will Parker. So when Ali Hakim strolls into town and takes her to the Box Social, who will Ado Annie stay with?

Will Parker: Will Parker is a simple young man who is in love with Ado Annie. When audiences first meet him, he’s just returned from the Kansas City fair where he’s seen a new way of life. Can he win Ado Annie’s hand?

There’s plenty of supporting characters in Oklahoma!, including Ali Hakim, Gertie Cummings, and Andrew Carnes.

Who stars in Oklahoma! in the West End?

The Oklahoma! West End cast will feature many of the Young Vic cast. The Oklahoma! cast features Arthur Darvill as Curly McClain, Anoushka Lucas as Laurey Williams, Liza Sadovy as Aunt Eller, Patrick Vaill as Jud Fry, James Patrick Davis as Will Parker, Stavros Demetraki as Ali Hakim, Greg Hicks as Andrew Carnes, Rebekah Hinds as Gertie Cummings, Raphael Bushay as Mike, and Marie-Astrid Mence as the Lead Dancer.

Georgina Onourah will play Ado Annie, with Phillip Olagoke as Cord Elam, with an ensemble including Andrew Berlin, Arthur Boan, Shani Cantor, Anna-Maria de Freitas, George Maddison, Brianna Ogunbawo, Finlay Paul, Helen K Wint. Read more about the Oklahoma! cast.

Two Oklahoma! Broadway cast members reprise their roles in London: Patrick Vaill as Jud Fry, and James Davis as Will Parker.

Oklahoma! Songs

Even though Oklahoma! was Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first musical, they definitely made their mark in the Broadway world with the songs. Throughout Oklahoma!, you’ll hear songs including “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’,” “I Cain’t Say No,” and an 11-minute dream ballet. Oklahoma! also features “People Will Say We’re In Love,” which was also said to be a favourite song of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. Here’s all the songs in Oklahoma!:

Act 1:

"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" – Curly
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" – Curly, Laurey, and Aunt Eller
"Kansas City" – Will Parker, Aunt Eller
"I Cain't Say No" – Ado Annie
"Many a New Day" – Laurey
"It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!" – Ali Hakim
"People Will Say We're in Love" – Curly and Laurey
"Pore Jud Is Daid" – Curly and Jud
"Lonely Room" – Jud

Act 2:

"Out of My Dreams"/"Dream Ballet" – Laurey and Dream Figures
"The Farmer and the Cowman" – Andrew Carnes, Aunt Eller, Curly, Gertie Cummings, Will, Ado Annie, Laurey, Ike Skidmore, Cord Elam
"All Er Nuthin'" – Will and Ado Annie
"People Will Say We're in Love" (Reprise) – Curly and Laurey
"Oklahoma" – Company

What awards has Oklahoma! won?

Like the original Oklahoma! production and subsequent revivals, this revival took away some of the highest theatre awards. Oklahoma! was nominated in seven categories and won two Tonys. Check out all the Oklahoma! Tony Awards below, with winning categories in bold.

Tony Awards

Best Revival of a Musical
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical - Damon Daunno
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical - Ali Stroker
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical - Mary Testa
Best Direction of a Musical - Daniel Fish
Best Scenic Design in a Musical - Laura Jellinek
Best Sound Design of a Musical - Drew Levy
Best Orchestrations - Daniel Kluger

Major productions of Oklahoma!

Although Oklahoma! Premiered on Broadway in 1943, this production of Oklahoma! revitalises and reenergises the 20th century musical into a thrilling modern hit. The current West End production of Oklahoma! began shortly before the pandemic, but has emerged as a must-see musical.

2015: The first Oklahoma! workshops take place at Bard College, New York. In a review for the New York Times, their critic said: this “Oklahoma!” revels in the exhilaration of pioneers forging their identities in wide-open spaces.”

2018: Oklahoma! hads to New York City with performances at St. Ann’s Warehouse from 27 September to 11 Nov. 2018.

2019: The 75th anniversary staging of Oklahoma! transfers to the Circle in the Square Theatre and wins two Tony Awards. Performances ran from 19 Mar. 2019 to 19 Jan. 2020.

2021: Oklahoma! begins a United States national tour with performances from 6 Nov. 2021 to 23 Oct. 2022.

2022: Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! premieres in Europe, with performances at the Young Vic in London from 26 Apr. 2022 to 25 Jun. 2022.

2023: Oklahoma! opens in the West End, with performances at the Wyndham’s Theatre from 16 Feb. 2023 to 2. Sept. 2023.

How to get Oklahoma! tickets

Oklahoma! was a sell-out sensation at the Young Vic, and it’s set to continue that trend at the Wyndham’s Theatre. You’ll want to see Oklahoma! in the West End in 2023 and understand why people call it “sexy Oklahoma.”

Oklahoma! tickets are available now. Book tickets to Oklahoma! on London Theatre today.

Photo credit: Oklahoma! at the Young Vic (Photos courtesy of production)