CLYMER–A few weeks ago there came an opportunity to go to Oklahoma.

Not the state, beautiful place though it is, but the musical.

Yes, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!

That’s the state with an exclamation point, performed by Cast and Company in Clymer Central School in May.

With this 2025 production, Cast and Company renewed its tradition of community musicals that began in 1989 with Tulip Time, and continued–biannually, with a few exceptions–with South Pacific, Bye Bye Birdie, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Lil’ Abner, the Pajama Game, the Wizard of Oz, Crazy for You, Cinderella, the Sound of Music, Annie, Nunsence, and the Music Man.

Most musicals performed in schools have pupils from the school playing the roles.

Cast and Company musicals in Clymer are different. They’re community musicals. The 2025 production featured not only Clymer Central School pupils but also Corry Area High School pupils plus adults of varying ages from the community.

All of them played roles and filled tasks, on stage and off.

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It’s one thing to start with good material, which Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! is.

It’s another thing to put on the performance well.

The Cast and Company Oklahoma! production was nothing short of extraordinary from the moment the pit orchestra began the overture.

But it was even more than that.

To build on a phrase: It’s one thing to put on such a performance and do the big things right, which this production did.

It’s another thing to do the little things right, which this production also did.

It was that well done, and that stunning.

The pit orchestra, the directing, the set, the costumes, the choreography, the audio-visual work, the lights, the acting, and the singing all came to life in a thoroughly enjoyable production.

From the “bright golden haze on the meadow”; to “the surrey with the fringe on top”; to Kansas City, where “everything’s up to date”; to the dream sequence; to “the farmer and the cowman”; to “the waving wheat that sure smells sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain.”

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Those who have seen other productions of this musical–and certainly those who have been in other productions of this musical–can recall the story and the music as the production proceeds.

Oklahoma! has many fun aspects. One of them is that, yes, it has a male lead and a female lead who drive the story. Yet no matter who plays those roles, the story is written in a way that lets multiple other characters drive the story too. Indeed, the whole cast drives the story from beginning to end.

Another fun aspect of Oklahoma! is that, as in many musicals, much of the story is told through the lyrics of the songs. So to follow the story, the audience can’t just listen to music. The audience has to listen to the words to songs and notice how each song follows from the previous one.

That isn’t hard mind you, especially when the entire show is produced as well as Cast and Company’s was.

What was obvious throughout was how much fun everyone involved was having and the dedication that everyone mustered to pull this off.

No such show comes together quickly or easily. It takes weeks and weeks of planning before rehearsals even begin. Then rehearsals take place over the course of weeks and weeks.

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This Cast and Company production wasn’t just a musical though. It was a social event in Clymer. For that reason, the intermission was lengthy and enjoyable as guests visited with friends while sampling desserts prepared and served by many hands.

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Extraordinary. Stunning.

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Dr. Randy Elf played the role of Andrew Carnes in Oklahoma when he was a high-school senior.

COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY RANDY ELF