I saw it both on Broadway and the first half on HBO the other night. I generally tend to like film and not theater, with a few exceptions--Shakespeare, lol--and I thought it was interesting the way they used special effects in the HBO version. I'll have to wait until the second half to give my final "review" but I may like the HBO version better than the theatrical version, but it may just be my preference for the subtlety of film performance over the big-projected style needed for stage. But however you see it, it is, IMO, far more than a theatrical or film experience. Without sounding over the top, I found it to be a deeply spiritual experience. And I don't use that term lightly.
Also, off-topic, I saw the London production of "Oklahoma" on PBS a couple of weeks ago (Hugh Jackman as Curly--the guy can SING!) and I was so impressed with the characterizations. I just expect characters in musicals from the '40s and '50s to be caricatures rather than believable characters, but in the London "Oklahoma" (how's that for irony?) I thought they really managed to walk that fine line between being stylized in the musical style of the time and yet convey emotions that seemed real. The singing doesn't come up to the level of Gordon McCrae and Shirley Jones and the whole film cast, but the emotions in the singing seemed much more real in the London production. If you like Hugh Jackman and love "Oklahoma," this would be a good video/DVD to ask Santa for. Jackman does a fight scene without his shirt on.
Rgirl
and the actor that plays Judd is fantastic (I believe he picked up multiple awards for his portrayal...)
