UCO
UCO returns to Mitchell Hall with RENT
(L-R) Jaylon Crump as Tom Collins and Samuel Moran as Angel
UCO’s College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) and the Musical Theatre Division present Jonathan Larson’s Rent, running until October 10th at Mitchell Hall Theatre. UCO’s Musical Theatre program is one of the best in the state. They produce big, bold works, and never shy away from tough subjects. Rent is polarizing, at times controversial, and it’s an institution of American musical theatre history. Love it or hate it, nearly everyone has an opinion on it. Playwright Jonathan Larson died suddenly before Rent was out of previews,… Continue reading
UCO’s Snow Business is Simply Divine!
Libby McCormack and the Elves and Elfettes in UCO’s There’s No Business Like Snow Business.
UCO’s Musical Theatre Christmas concert is a lovely holiday revue featuring Christmas numbers from a variety of stage musicals. There’s No Business Like Snow Business is a gloriously festive night at the UCO Jazz Lab. The show opens with the full cast performing “We Need a Little Christmas” and then breaking into smaller ensembles and solos. There are performances from several well-known Broadway shows, and they’re sung professionally by the UCO Musical Theatre students. The titles are helpfully displayed onscreen above the stage, and… Continue reading
UCO Presents the Musical Revue There’s No Business Like Snow Business
From Left: Shafer Wilkerson, Hagen Wano, and Sierra Sikes star in the upcoming There’s No Business Like Snow Business at the UCO Jazz Lab.
It’s finally here! The holiday season hits hard and fast this week, with Christmas lights going up everywhere and early shopping already starting. Always in the holiday spirit, UCO’s musical theatre department presents another fun night of music with their latest themed revue. There’s No Business Like Snow Business features holiday songs, fun costumes, and a cheery, wintery show at the UCO Jazz Lab. Like their annual Halloween revue Macabret, Snow Business puts a Christmas… Continue reading
UCO’s Musical Theatre Students Twist the Knife with Macabret
Mica Martinez in “The Man That Got Away” from Macabret: A Spooktacular Halloween Revue. Photo by UCO Photographic Services.
The UCO Musical Theatre students present a “Spooktactular Halloween Revue” at the UCO Jazz Lab. The annual concert, Macabret, features the full cast of UCO musical theatre students, presenting contemporary pop/rock songs with a Halloween inspired twist. The production is wholly produced, performed, directed and designed by the students, with a little help from department directors and choreographers. Talent, hard-work, energy, passion, and a macabre sense of fun are on display, and it’s a wild and wicked event for the Edmond… Continue reading
UCO’s Musical Theatre Department Presents the Spooky, Spectacular Macabaret
The cast of UCO’s 2017 production of Macabaret.
There’s something fun about mashing up words, especially for the season at hand. The ever popular Snowpocalypse comes around occasionally for an impeding snow storm and the apocalyptic response that ensues. Then of course, there’s the classic Fallsummoween. This is one we’re very familiar with in Oklahoma. It’s officially Fall, according to the calendar, but it still looks and feels like Summer outside. So naturally, we crank the A/C down, turn off the lights, and burn a pumpkin candle, just pretending like it’s Halloween. The UCO Musical Theatre students are capitalizing on… Continue reading
Go Back to High School with UCO’s Grease
UCO’s Grease at Mitchell Hall Theatre. Photo by Mutz Photography.
Though it debuted in 1971, with a hit movie in 1978, it seems like Grease has been around forever. It’s woven so completely into the American songbook, and heavily into the theatre rotation, that nearly everyone from sea to shining sea knows the songs, the characters and at least some of the story. But in case you’ve somehow missed it entirely, here’s a quick rundown: Based in 1959, the classmates of Rydell High, an Anywhere, USA High School, assemble back at school after an eventful summer. A new student joins… Continue reading
UCO Gears Up for Grease at Mitchell Hall Theatre
From left, Dylan Herrin as Danny, Morgan Rothwell as Sandy, Kalyn Glover as Frenchy, Sarah Royse as Marty and Hailey Hatfield as Jan in University of Central Oklahoma and Broadway Tonight’s production of Grease.
Grease is the word! UCO’s Fall 2019 season is starting up with the quintessential American musical. Their production of Grease: The Musical takes us back to high school with the greasers, the pink ladies, and all the antics of Rydell High! It’s a wild ride and tons of fun. And of course, the music and poodle skirts! They’re classic Americana and classic Grease.
Early on… Continue reading
“Hair” A Crowning Achievement from UCO and CityRep!
The tribe led by Sheila (Hope Chancey) protests. Photo courtesy of Mutz Photography
The University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre have been collaborating for a decade providing excellent theatrical productions, and Hair is at the pinnacle of great musical theatre. Of course, fifty years ago, Hair was a departure from traditional musical theatre, and the success of the musical was a surprise to writers Gerome Ragni and James Rado. Alongside Greg MacDermott (music), Hair became an overnight sensation. Half a century has passed and Hair remains as sensational as ever.
Hair is the… Continue reading
UCO’s The Most Happy Fella Makes for a Most Happy Theatregoer
Promo photo for UCO production of “The Most Happy Fella.” Sonnet Lamb as “Rosabella” and Sean Steele as “Tony.”
Photo by Daniel Smith.
By Clayton J. Blair and Staff
“The Most Happy Fella” is considered Loesser’s most ambitious and romantic musical. It first appeared on Broadway in 1957 and ran for 676 performances. Since then, it has enjoyed several revivals, including one staged by the New York City Opera. For a show that came out in direct competition with “My Fair Lady”, it surely should be considered one of the great operettas.
“The Most Happy Fella” is a… Continue reading
UCO’s My Fair Lady is Timeless and Ever Fresh
Cast of My Fair Lady-Photo Credit: Wendy Mutz
If there was ever an ideal model for what musical theatre should be, My Fair Lady would fit the criteria perfectly. One of the most highly-regarded musicals of all-time, the original Broadway run in 1956 starred Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. Harrison later reprised his role as Henry Higgins, next to the iconic Audrey Hepburn, in the 1964 movie. My Fair Lady follows Eliza Doolittle, a young girl from 1913 London who enlists help from a dialect coach to become a seemingly presentable lady.
The University of Central Oklahoma’s Broadway Tonight and… Continue reading