Down one of those roads where hill turns upon hill in an endless rhythm, you will come to discover, marked by a modest billboard, the official home of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. For more than three decades, hot summer evenings in Oklahoma, 10 miles west of Tulsa, have chimed with “Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day.” This year the singers who belted out Oklahoma! included five from OBU.

The cast is chosen from national auditions that begin each year in the spring. Once selected, the 35 singers and dancers have only six days of rehearsals before opening night. The play runs from June to August, four nights each week. “The run is the biggest challenge,” says former student Lloyd Holt who plays Judd. “There aren’t many summer stock places that will run for three months outside in 98 degree weather. It’s taxing both vocally and physically, but for the most part it is rewarding and an awesome experience.”

Joining Lloyd is five-year Oklahoma! veteran Brenda Kitchen, ’03, students Crystal Morrow and Latricia Reichman, and Associate Professor of Music Rhetta Hudson. Brenda is dance captain, Crystal sings in the women’s ensemble, Latricia works as assistant stage manager, and Rhetta plays Aunt Eller. Also joining the cast from Shawnee is Ian Hutton who currently attends St. Gregory’s. However, both of his parents attended OBU.

“I think OBU has prepared me for hard work,” says Latricia, who serves as student costume shop supervisor during the school year at OBU. “The professors show us how to work hard, and I love that because I come out here and feel like I’m in my element.” Latricia is not alone in this feeling of preparedness. Many students share similar testimonies regarding the theatre department at OBU. Though small (the major has a little more than 30 students), theatre faculty Laura Byland and Joyce Aldridge recognize the program’s strengths. “We provide life examples,” says Laura. “We carefully select plays and read current literature. We help prepare the very best Christian theatre students for professional theatre.”

“When you’re in your own little circle, that’s your safe zone,” says Lloyd. “But when you are thrust into a cast of 35, all from different walks of life, you have to be aware of who you are and how you need to come across. The moment they find you’re from a Christian university, their eyebrow raises, and you may have an opportunity.” Brenda, Crystal, Latricia, and Ian agree. One references the surprise she received when some of the cast discovered she never kissed the gentleman she had dated for more than a year. Another tells the story of a young woman who had begun to explore the things of God through Scripture reading. “I never really said, ‘Listen, we need to talk about God,’ he explains, “but I guess she saw how I work out here and the way I live.”

Journey down that Oklahoma! road heading out for miles, and discover five individuals from OBU and at least one other in Ian Hutton, who know how to put on a production but also know what it takes to live in such a way to be an example. Many other roads take you to theatre companies across the country, where OBU students have contributed.” Sonia Justl and Tiffanie Pearce are two additional examples. After a “rather intense application process,” Sonia received the assignment this past summer to work in two Texas theatres as an intern. Similarly, Tiffanie worked at Michigan’s premiere Interlochen, “a place entrenched by the arts,” she says.

“I would have never been able to do it without the knowledge that I received in costume design,” Tiffanie says regarding her role as costume mistress at Interlochen. “And because I served as stage manager on The Adding Machine at OBU, I felt confident to work as a stage manager for another part of the summer. Most of what I did, I already knew how to do because of my experiences at OBU.”

“I did everything from writing grant proposals and press releases to designing makeup,” Sonia says. “Part of my job even included co-designing and constructing 60 costumes in two weeks, and we did it. I could not have done those costumes if it had not been for the training I had received at OBU,” she says.

In her second location, a massive amphitheater located in Palo Duro Canyon, Sonia served as stage manager. “The greatest part about being in the Canyon was incorporating my Christian walk into my work,” she says. “I have done my best to simply live life and shine the love of Christ. Just this week,” she adds with a stroke of excitement, “I shared my faith with the entire show crew, and the response was amazing!”