Pacific’s Oklahoma a hit with audience!

With southern drawls and country swagger, Pacific Lutheran College’s talented cast presented the classic, golden-era musical Oklahoma to packed audiences over the weekend!

Performing a total of four shows, Pacific’s cast of Year 8-12 students entertained an audience of more than 1100 people at The Events Centre, Caloundra.

Set just after the turn of the 20th Century in America’s romanticised Western Frontier, spirited rivalry among local farmers and cowboys set the backdrop for two burgeoning love stories.

Year 12 student Sam Henderson and Year 10 student Nicola Hewitt played the lead roles of Curly and Laurey.

“It was an incredible experience to perform with the entire cast,” Nicola said.

“The nerves disappeared as soon as I stepped onto the stage and it was so rewarding to share what we’ve been working on for so long with family, friends and everyone who came to watch the show.”

Sam, who is in his final year at Pacific, has been in the last five annual College productions.

“I was an ensemble member in The Addams Family back in 2015, so to work my way to a lead in Oklahoma was really rewarding,” Sam said.

“We’ve all grown so much as a cast and as a community, with everyone coming together to support each other.”

“We even had a younger student come and ask for our autographs after the show, so it was just really special to feel like we are inspiring the next generation of performers at Pacific,” he said.

Pacific’s Head of Drama and Musical Director, Mrs Janine Delaney, said it was particularly timely to perform Oklahoma in its 75^th anniversary year.

“Oklahoma was ground breaking in that it was one of the first musicals to look at ordinary people and their trials, tribulations and relationships. I think that’s why it has survived the test of time; it’s all of us on stage and we can relate to that,” Mrs Delaney said.

“We are extremely proud of how the production came together.”

“Everything from the costumes, staging, the music from our professional orchestra and of course, the student performances were amazing and a very fitting tribute to a classic story,” she said.