PCS Blog
The Other Wild West
Posted by Chris Coleman | 04 September 2011 | Comments (7)
As we began to think about how this production of Oklahoma! should look, Jeff Cone (our costumer) and I looked through a ton of research from the period. Some of my favorites are featured here.
The folks who migrated to the Great Plains came in search of a new life, free land, greater freedoms and opportunities. And they often started life with absolutely nothing in terms of natural resources. The employment of the windmill was the only thing that made the land farmable.
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Sometimes entire towns migrated together from the Deep South, which allowed them to work quickly to build a new community from scratch.
The literacy rates in the African American towns and settlements of Oklahoma were far higher than those in the rest of the country. For African-American women in particular, literacy rates were extraordinarily high.
For Jeff and I, it was important both that the clothes have a sense of authenticity (that they look lived and worked in), but that we also allow the high spirits and fun of the musical to still feel plausible.
Comments (7)
Chenaya,
Our apologies for proving the wrong link! If you’d like to “meet the cast,” the correct link is
http://www.pcs.org/blog/item/meet-the-cast-of-oklahoma/.
We hope to see you at the show!
Thanks,
Kinsley
The pictures are great - but clicking on “meet the cast” ...doesn’t take me there. It takes me to the historical pictures! Looking forward to seeing it though.
You bet! Oct 19, second row!!! Did you get to see the Clackamas Repertory Production this summer? They did a great job! We are very very excited to see this production at PCS. Ayipioeeay!
None yet, Rick! But, of course, there will be one onstage here at PCS from September 20 - October 30. Hope to see you at the show!
Any photos of a surrey with the fringe on top?!
Thanks so much Rita. We hope to see you at the show!
Thank you Chris for sharing this information. Love it!
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