Here are some notes on the California Theatre Conservatory’s Oklahoma! at the Hayes Theatre stage at San Rafael High School. This youth-driven production brings Broadway polish to Marin County, drawing audiences from San Rafael, Mill Valley, and beyond.
The show is a great example of how local schools and theater programs can team up to deliver professional-level musicals right in our own backyard.
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Oklahoma! Comes to Marin: A Broadway-Quality Production in San Rafael
Oklahoma! unfolds on the San Rafael High School campus with a Broadway-caliber sheen, and honestly, you might forget the cast is so young. In nearby towns like Novato, Larkspur, and Sausalito, Marin families are filling the Hayes Theatre, lured by the promise of a polished, professionally staged musical theater experience.
CTC’s Oklahoma! feels like a true community effort—months of work and ambition have gone into this production. It’s a testament to Marin County’s commitment to the arts, spanning both city centers and quieter neighborhoods.
Production Team and Design
Rodney Franz, a veteran director, leads the show, while Dylan Smith handles choreography. The rehearsal process is meticulous, and the design team treats the Hayes Theatre as if it’s a Broadway hall. They stick to a classic look—no projections—rooted in an old-school set that feels authentically frontier-savvy.
Anthony Evans, Elisha Mayost, Cash Cooley, and Ben Braly built a wooden windmill, piled up hay bales, and painted a sun-dappled prairie sky. The set evokes the era without relying on gimmicks, and you can almost smell the dust and prairie grass from Tiburon to Fairfax.
Raisa Donato’s fight choreography adds real weight to the darker moments. Even when the story feels celebratory, there’s a reminder that the frontier could be dangerous.
- Old-school set design featuring windmill, hay bales, and a sunlit prairie sky
- Projection-free staging that relies on lighting, scenery, and performers
- Realistic frontier combat choreography by Raisa Donato
Cast and Musical Direction
The California Theatre Conservatory’s young cast carries the musical with genuine energy and precision. Their vocal work and stage presence really anchor the show.
Jackie Bar plays Curly McLain with a tenor that confidently soars through the score. Kenzie McLin shines as Laurey, her shimmering soprano cutting through the orchestra.
Sahar Mayost brings a resonant baritone to Jud Fry, mixing menace and humanity in a way that deepens the tragedy at the heart of the story.
On the comic side, Cooper Truitt’s Will Parker and Brooke Evans’s Ado Annie hit just the right notes—literally and comedically. They deliver laughs but never lose the show’s emotional core.
Nolan Braly brings sly charm as Ali Hakim, while Ayla Tabrizi is a spark as Gertie, keeping things light. The ensemble is big and cohesive, handling not just singing and dancing but also some impressive gymnastics and a dream ballet that gives Oklahoma! its more ethereal moments.
Critique, Community Impact, and What It Means for Marin
Critics haven’t just shown up for this show—they’ve genuinely applauded it. Barry Willis gave the production five stars and called it a restorative, feel-good theatrical experience.
His review highlights the energy in Marin County’s musical theater scene and the promise in its next generation of performers. That feeling stretches from San Rafael’s neighborhoods to San Anselmo’s cozy stages, and even into Mill Valley’s art schools.
For folks living in Marin County, Oklahoma! feels like more than just another night out. It’s proof of what local schools can pull off when they team up and share resources from towns like Novato, Sausalito, Corte Madera, and Tiburon.
Honestly, it’s a reminder that our region’s arts scene—whether you’re wandering Fairfax’s quiet lanes or hanging out in San Rafael’s busy downtown—relies on the energy and commitment of young performers. These are the kids who’ll keep the craft alive in the years ahead.
Tickets for this Hayes Theatre run are selling fast, and performances go through Sunday. If you’re in Marin—maybe you live in Corte Madera, or just have a weekend spot in San Rafael—this Oklahoma! is a real showcase of homegrown talent and ambition.
Catch it for the music, but stick around for that unmistakable sense of community you only get from Marin’s arts crowd.
Here is the source article for this story: Review: Marin conservatory puts on Broadway-level production of ‘Oklahoma!’
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