EDITORIAL: Local art thriving

Jul. 21—THUMBS UP to everyone involved in recent productions of "Tarzan" and "The Sound of Music."

The Latimer County Arts Council recently performed its second summer musical with its production of "The Sound of Music" and the McAlester Community Theatre celebrated its 25th season with the high-flying production of "Tarzan."

Lots of talented locals put in hours and miles to make these productions possible — and both were shining examples of art thriving in our community.

Latimer County Arts Council Director Ruth Askew Brelsford previously told the News-Capital she believes the production will rekindle a passion for arts in southeast Oklahoma.

"My dream is that we establish a summer musical here in Wilburton that draws talent from all over this five-county region but also draws audience," Brelsford said. "And that we become so established and our quality is so high, which that is already in place, and that we have that every single year."

She took a moment after the Sunday finale show to thank everyone involved in the production and told the crowd that they made her dream come true.

It was a touching moment after a production that showed how close the cast had become with each other and perfected its craft.

"The Sound of Music" is based on Maria von Trapp's 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers set in Austria on the eve of the Anschluss in 1938. It inspired a musical with Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II composing the music, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

Captain von Trapp and Maria plan to flee Austria with the children in an adventurous musical that features classics like "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Edelweiss", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", and the title song "The Sound of Music."

The original Broadway production opened in 1959 and won five Tony Awards. The 1965 film adaptation won five Academy Awards and starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

Brelsford said more than 60 people from nine different towns in Latimer, Pittsburg, Haskell, Leflore, and Pushmataha Counties auditioned and a bevy of volunteers offered to help with set, costumes, props, lighting and sound.

Eastern Oklahoma State College and several businesses and civic organizations sponsored the production, and Brelsford credited the Oklahoma Arts Council and Latimer County Tourism for their partnership in making it possible.

McAlester community Theatre President Jason Strickland previously told the News-Capital the organization wanted to do something big for its 25th season.

And "Tarzan" was certainly a big production.

"It's the biggest show we've ever done," Strickland said.

Tarzan is a stage adaptation of the classic story by Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Disney animated film of the same name. The musical follows the adventures of Tarzan, a young boy raised by gorillas in the African jungle after his parents die in a tragic shipwreck. Tarzan grows up as part of the gorilla family, but starts to question his place in the world as he becomes a young man.

A group of explorers arrives in the jungle and Tarzan forms a deep connection with adventurous young woman Jane Porter as they navigate challenges of love, identity, and the clash between civilization and the wild.

Famed artist Phil Collins composed and recorded songs integrated with Mark Mancina's score that incorporates new songs and beloved classics from the Disney film.

Locals flew from the rafters and belted out the classic songs in another great production.

We applaud everyone involved in making the arts thrive in our community.