Rodgers and Hammerstein may have intended the musical “Oklahoma!” to be a celebration of American optimism, but a modern lens reveals a story steeped in problematic gender stereotypes and rigid social norms.
In February 2025, Pingree is staging a production of “Oklahoma!”, a golden age musical featuring themes of young love, community, and the tensions of frontier life in 1906 Oklahoma pre-statehood. However, when examined, the musical actually displays many deeply rooted, traditional expectations of the era.
The original “Oklahoma!” first premiered in late March of 1943. Since then there have been multiple film adaptations, which have allowed the musical to reach a broader audience. The main plot follows cowboy Curly’s pursuit of farm girl Laurey, complicated by rivalry and jealousy. The classic concludes with Oklahoma becoming a state as community triumphs.
However, beneath the curtain the musical displays many outdated gender stereotypes and societal norms.. For example, there is a scene centered around the box social, a 1900s event where girls and women as young as 12 would make a picnic basket full of food and men could bid on it. Not only would they get the meal, but they would get to go on a date with the woman who made the basket. Romantic time with a woman was being sold to the highest bidder. This lack of free will for women was normalized by society at the time, which caused young women like Laurey to feel powerless.
The musical shows how social norms influenced relationships, especially expectations about marriage and gender roles. When asked about these stereotypes, director Jesse Rasmussen shared how Pingree has to “pay attention to where the women have to stand versus the men in the storytelling.” It’s important to explore how women were expected to prioritize men’s needs and fulfill domestic roles as homemakers, while men were expected to be strong, dominant providers who displayed emotional restraint and authority.
In today’s diverse society, gender roles have vastly changed, but when zoomed in, many of the same stereotypes still exist. Rasmussen commented on how “as sort of outdated and silly and over the top as they seem, we’re really not that far away from that.”
“Oklahoma!” provides a chance for people to view those stereotypes and examine how society has grown and how it has stayed the same. Rasmussen believes it is vital for audience members to pay attention to these societal norms. When asked why “Oklahoma!” was chosen as Pingree’s production, Rasmussen stated that she asked herself, “How can we offer something useful and illuminating to our audience, our community?”
“Oklahoma!” can be looked at with a new lens and the stereotypes of the time can be interrogated. Overall, Pingree’s “Oklahoma!” is a chance for the audience to see how far modern day society has come from these problematic norms and how we can continue to grow.
