Black Swan State Theatre Company have announced that actor Emily Havea from Wentworth, Harrow, and The Secrets She Keeps has been cast as cowman Curly McLain in their forthcoming production of Oklahoma!, Black Swan’s first staged theatre production since the postponement of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. The season will run from Saturday, November 28 to Sunday, December 20 on the Heath Ledger Theatre stage at the State Theatre Centre.
Acclaimed director Richard Carroll (Calamity Jane, Once, The Show Goes On) was pleased that the estate of Rodgers and Hammerstein, the writers of the popular musical, agreed to the cross-gender casting for Havea as Curly, saying that having a female actor play Curly will bring many new and fascinating complexities to the show. In this production of Oklahoma! Black Swan will be presenting the music in the style of its bluegrass, country, and square-dance roots. WA audiences will enjoy the 360 degree experience of theatre-in-the-round right in the heart of the action on the Heath Ledger Theatre stage.
Oklahoma offers a journey back to 1906, where beyond the western reaches of the federated United States is a land of shotgun rides, shotgun weddings, and shotgun justice; with no local government, no electricity and no motor cars. Tensions simmer between the cowmen who have long worked the territory and the increasing number of eastern farmers staking new claims to land which disrupts their trade. Meanwhile, farm girl Laurey works to maintain her independence while being courted by both Curly and Jud -two very different kinds of suitor.
Black Swan State Theatre Company presents Oklahoma! at the Heath Ledger Theatre from Saturday, November 28 to Sunday, December 20. Click here for tickets.
