Braxton Molinaro

Set in the Oklahoma territory in the early 1900s, this musical tells the story of two pairs of lovers. Curly is a cowboy who has trouble admitting his feelings to Laurey, as she does to him, because of their stubbornness. Judd, the hired hand at Laurey's farm, tries to come between them. Ado Annie is torn between Will, a cowboy who has strong feelings for her, and Ali Hakim, a peddler who's a ladies' man and doesn't want to marry her. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts' production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, staged in early 2011, uses the original 1943 set and costume designs, dance choreography, and orchestrations.

A gay veteran returns home from war, only to face an internal battle with his identity and the country he fought to protect. Struggling with PTSD and the loss of his combat partner, he confronts the painful truth that while he risked his life for freedom, society still denies him acceptance. As he navigates his grief and isolation, he searches for peace in a world where the fight for personal freedom is far from over.