In 1943, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma! stirred audiences with its youthful optimism, glorifying a hero who was willing to fight for the woman and the land he loved. “Oh, what a beautiful morning,” the singing cowboy crooned—just what Americans needed to hear at the peak of World War II.
In Goodman Theatre’s excellent new version of Brigadoon, for which Lerner’s original script has been revised by Brian Hill, the witch metaphor is discarded entirely. Here, the evil that the village avoids is very real. It’s war—specifically, the 1745-’46 uprising of Scottish highlanders against the British monarchy. Hill’s libretto underscores a thematic connection between the 18th-century conflict and the 20th-century world war from which Tommy has returned, disillusioned and emotionally lost. Director-choreographer Rachel Rockwell and Hill seek to make Brigadoon resonant for audiences besieged by daily news of bloodshed around the world—Israel, Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Nigeria, central Africa—and anxious about American involvement in the endless, ever-escalating violence.
Through 8/17: Wed 7:30 PM, Thu 2 and 7:30 (except 7/31) PM, Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 (except 7/12) and 8 PM, Sun 2 and 7:30 (except 7/27) PM; also Tue 7/22 and 2/29, 7:30 PM Goodman Theatre 170 N. Dearborn 312-443-3800goodmantheatre.org $25-$105
