Rodgers and Hammerstein: Out of a Dream, presented by Patrick Street Productions, until Feb. 16 at the York Theatre, 639 Commercial Dr., Vancouver. Tickets start at $19, available at thecultch. com or 604-251-1363.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II produced fine work before they combined their creative talents but, like chocolate and peanut butter, some things are just better together.
The musical theatre legends first collaborated on Oklahoma! in 1943 and what followed was a string of Broadway hits that changed the history of the entertainment genre. Together, Rodgers composed the music and Hammerstein wrote the lyrics for 11 productions during the '40s and '50s, including such successes as Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music.
"Rodgers and Hammerstein were the two artists that I feel really, in a sense, created contemporary musical theatre," says Peter Jorgensen, co-artistic producer at Lower Mainland theatre company Patrick Street Productions. "They started to push the form and look at different stories that could be told through musical theatre - stories that weren't quite as fluffy, stories that had something to say, stories that had interesting characters, interesting relationships, characters that were flawed, that had struggles."
As a tribute to the writing duo, Jorgensen conceived and created Rodgers and Hammerstein: Out of a Dream, which makes its world premier at Vancouver's York Theatre this week. The whimsical musical revue features songs from each and every show written by the prolific pair. It will be performed by a cast of five singer/actors, including Kazumi Evans, Kaylee Harwood, Warren Kimmel, Caitriona Murphy and Sayer Roberts, and backed by a four-person orchestra.
Whittling Rodgers and Hammerstein's extensive songbook down to just two hours was no small feat for Jorgensen. During the selection process, he listened to every cast recording of every show he could get his hands on. And while Out of a Dream doesn't have a strong narrative, Jorgensen says he has arranged the songs in such a way that the show follows the story arc of a romantic relationship.
Audiences can expect to hear familiar hits like "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" from Oklahoma! as well as some "rare gems" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's lesser-known works including "Come Home" from 1947's Allegro.
Jorgensen says the title, Out of a Dream, reflects the dreamlike nature of the show in which songs and scenes melt into one another, as well as the repetition of the word "dream" in Hammerstein's lyrics ("Out of My Dreams" from Oklahoma! and "I Have Dreamed" from The King and I will both be performed). The title also pays tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein's dream for what musical theatre could be, says Jorgensen.
A self-described "musical theatre junkie," Jorgensen says he developed a deeper understanding of his muses during the creation of Out of a Dream.
"With Rodgers and Hammerstein, it's easy to take their work for granted because it's so well known," he explains. "We think we know their work, but when you start digging in and seeing how they crafted their work, I have found a whole new appreciation for their level of artistry."
This will mark the first time Patrick Street Productions has staged a show inside the historic York Theatre since it re-opened last year following a multimillion-dollar renovation. "The theatre's been around since 1913 so it feels good to be doing something that's not super contemporary, but something that reaches back into history a little bit," says Jorgensen, confident that someone must have performed Rodgers and Hammerstein at the venue at some point over the last century.
The revue's simple set design features a vast sky and a single park bench, reminiscent of one of Jorgensen's favourite Rodgers and Hammerstein scenes - the "If I Loved You" duet from Carousel.
By the time the curtain closes on Out of a Dream, Jorgensen hopes the audience will have been swept away by the enchanting music, nostalgic lyrics and romantic story arc.
"I hope people come away just feeling really snuggly and happy and warm," he says.
