WAYNESVILLE — Lightning struck and sparks (literally) flew about an hour before the presentation of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre's production of the the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Oklahoma!" on the night of July 18. 

Undeterred, repairs were made and the show went on, albeit with some problems with the lighting system, which did not detract much from an otherwise generally splendid community theater effort that was directed and designed by Steven Lloyd, who also is HART's executive director.

Perhaps fittingly, the announcement of the theater being struck by lightning at the beginning of the show set the stage for the production's own dramatic and musical fireworks that were to come.

Also, in an interesting turnabout, Sandy Boone, who played Curly in HART's 1993 production, was the conductor of a nine-piece orchestra for this iteration of the musical. The full orchestra sounded terrific.

The show, with its large cast, ended with a bang, reprising the songs "Oklahoma!" along with a medley of "People Will Say We're in Love" and "Oh What a Beautiful Morning." Earlier, the strong second act also included stellar versions of "The Farmer and the Cowman" and "All Er Nuthin.'" 

"Oklahoma!" which was the first collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, also offered some classic first act songs, too, including "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," "Kansas City" and "I Cain't Say No."

The near-sellout turnout of 250 people gave a standing ovation at the end of the show, which included a one and three-quarter-hour first act, a 15-minute intermission and a 45-minute second act. The show’s run, which began July 10, will end Aug. 2. An usher at the show on July 18 said there had been large turnouts for the musical.

The original Broadway production of “Oklahoma!” opened on March 31, 1943, set records and was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in 1944. The stage show was adapted for an Academy Award-winning film in 1955. “Oklahoma!” remains a staple of American theater today.

This musical, which is widely regarded as the epitome in the development of the “book musical,” fully integrates the songs and dances “into a well-made story with serious dramatic goals that are able to evoke genuine emotions other than laughter,” according to Wikipedia. “In addition, Oklahoma! features musical themes, or motifs, that recur throughout the work to connect the music and story.”

“Oklahoma!” also was the first of five great musicals by the team of Rodgers and Hammersteins, with the others including “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” “Carousel” and “The Sound of Music.”

Among the highlights of HART’s “Oklahoma!” were the amazing rope tricks, singing, dancing and acting of Will Bryant Vickers, who played Will Parker.

Other standouts included the singing and acting of Hunter Henrickson as Curly, Calintha Briggs as Laurey, Luke Hayes as Judd Fry and Emily Warren as Ado Annie Carnes.

A third positive from the show was the 15-minute dream ballet sequence midway through the first act, which featured Laurey’s struggle regarding two men, Curly and Jud.

Conversely, the biggest problem with the production was that many of the lines spoken by the actors were unintelligible, based either on their failure to articulate clearly, or because their microphones were not adjusted property.

As Aunt Eller, Allison Stinson looked and acted the part, but just was unable to project her voice sufficiently for her key lines to be clearly audible. Her microphone volume should have been cranked up considerably to make up for that shortcoming.

George Heard as peddler Ali Hakim also suffered the same problem with often being inaudible .

The choreography of “Oklahoma!” is often referred to as clunky, given that the cowboys and farmers are dancing in boots, but it was nonetheless entertaining.

One of musical theater’s most-beloved titles, “Oklahoma!” is derived from Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, "Green Grow the Lilacs." Based in the Oklahoma Territory, outside the town of Claremont in 1907, "Oklahoma!" tells of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams.

A secondary romance involves cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiance, Ado Annie.

In the program, Lloyd , the show’s director, noted that “‘Oklahoma!’ is one of those shows that keeps coming back and each time it does, you rediscover how good it is.”

Lloyd said he first performed in “Oklahoma!” while in college and then oversaw HART’s 1993 production of it, which was directed by Suzanne Tinsley.

He also noted that the musical was performed more than a decade earlier in Haywood County, with Sandy Boone starring as Curly. “There’s seems to be an ‘Oklahoma!’ for every generation” — as Boone served as music director for the current production. Boone is now retired after many years as Tuscola High band director.

This reviewer has seen the original film that was made of “Oklahoma!” as well as more than a half-dozen different live productions of the musical through the years — and it was evident that Lloyd, as he noted in the program, was heavily influenced in HART’s presentation by the 1997 Trevor Nunn production starring Hugh Jackman.

As with Nunn’s effort, Lloyd’s “Oklahoma!” focused more than the original on the strife between the farmers and the cattlemen and the looming range war over the fences. His production also put more emphasis than the original on the element of danger from Jud — toward both Laurey and Curley.

The remaining 2015 HART shows include “Company,” Aug. 7-Sept. 6; “The Fox on the Fairway,” Sept. 11-Oct. 4; “The Weir,” Oct. 9-Nov. 1; and “A Christmas Carol,” Dec. 10-13. All will be presented only on weekends.