PRINCIPAL players Conor Mellor, Caitlin Calgie, Reece McMahon and Sophia Bonini have been down on the farm to prepare for the 2016 Stage Experience summer show, Oklahoma!, at the Grand Opera House, York.
The four successful auditionees spent an afternoon at Piglets Adventure Farm Park, in Towthorpe, as they look forward to starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein's American musical this summer.
Premiered at the St James Theatre on Broadway, in New York, in March 1943, Oklahoma! marked the first pairing of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein III. Based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play Green Grow The Lilacs, it tells the story of Laurey Williams, the headstrong farm girl with whom both cowboy Curly McLain and farm hand Jud Fry have fallen in love.
When Laurey plays hard-to-get with earnest Curly and instead accepts dangerous Jud’s invitation to the upcoming box social, tensions rise between the men and capture the interest of the whole town.
Caitlin Calgie, from Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, will take the role of Laurey; Conor Mellor, from York, will be Curly; Reece McMahon, a scholarship-winning London Contemporary Dance School student from York, and Sophia Bonini, from Harrogate, will play Will Parker and Ado Annie respectively.
Sophie Bonini, left, Reece McMahon, Caitlin Calgie and Conor Mellor enjoying their farm visit. Picture: David Harrison
Stage Experience is an intensive two-week project for ten to 21 year olds, who will be directed by professional director and choreographer Louise Denison, joined by musical director Adam Laird.
The project will run from July 23, culminating in four performances from August 4 to 6. As well as budding actors, Stage Experience welcomes aspiring theatre technicians, who will work with the professional team on sound, lighting, set, props and costumes.
Producer Clare O'Connor says: "The first show written by the Rodgers and Hammerstein team guarantees to be another blockbuster for our Stage Experience team and has something for everyone – a good story, big songs, catchy tunes, dance routines and love interests – all of which will showcase the enormous wealth of talent in our cast and crew."
Tickets for the 7.30pm evening shows and 2.30pm Saturday matinee are on sale on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york
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