Oklahoma Lighting Design

I wrote a passion piece on the musical Oklahoma and I have decided to do a lighting desing for the play. Oklahoma was the first musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein together. It was based off of the stage play Green Grow the Lilacs. Oklahoma changed the theater world forever. It was the first show that used music and dance to keep telling the story. It also had the first ever famous dream sequence ballet that featured only dance and music. Since this was the first musical to debut, the lighting for it is important. The right colors and tones had to be used to set the mood. People would be confused with the story if the lighting was not correct. In the beginning the light needs be bright to set the mood that this story is cheerful and not a tragedy. The bright lights would also be used to signify that it was daytime. Bright lights would be used for "Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'", "The Surey with the Fringe on Top", "Kansas City", and "I Cain't Say No." All of these scenes take place out side as well. "Many a New Day" would need to have a softer lighting because it takes place in Laurey's house with all the girls. They have stopped on their way to the box social. This softer lighting will also be used for "People Will Say We're in Love." The song is referring to Laurey and Curly's romance. The next song is "Pore Jud is Daid." This takes place in Jud's smokehouse where he lives. The lighting will have to be a harder brown since Jud is a farmhand and rough looking. The song is also not sappy so the mood needs to somber. The end of Act I brings the famous dream scene. This is where Laurey is weighing her options of being with Jud or Curly. Since it is a dream, it needs to heavenly like. The lighting would be blue, red, brown, orange, gray, and yellow. "The Farmer and the Cowman" scene should be a golden wheat color in front and the colors of a dusk sunset in the back. This scene takes place at dusk and then it eventually turns into nighttime. "All Er Nuthin'" takes place away from the box social. The lighting needs to be somewhat dark to show that it is nighttime, but bright lights on the characters because this is when Annie decides to marry Will. The "People Will Say We're in Love (reprise)" occurs when Curly reassures Laurey that she is safe from Jud. That would be another wheat color lighting because Laurey is feeling safe. The find song "Oklahoma" occurs after Curly and Laurey get married and Curly is not guilty for the death of Jud. The light will be very bright across the stage because the entire cast will be out on the stage. This is also the end of the play and a happy ending.