Oklahoma!

Set against the backdrop of the Oklahoma Territory being on the cusp of statehood, and more specifically an upcoming dance in rural Claremore, two different romantic entanglements are presented. The first has naive cowboy Will Parker having just returned from Kansas City having earned the $50 needed to satisfy the requirement of farmer Andrew Carnes to marry his equally naive daughter, Ado Annie, Will not being his first, second or third choice as a son-in-law. What neither knows is that Annie has only recently attracted the attention of men, ever since she filled out, and has come to the realization that she *really* likes men, especially kissing any man. The latest to come into her realm is travelling Persian peddler Ali Hakim, who has no idea what showing her the least of attention means as Carnes not only expects him to accompany her to the dance but to marry her under the circumstance. Hakim, who has no desire to marry Annie or any woman in his vagabond life, does whatever he can to bring Will back into the picture as Annie's betrothed, which isn't the easiest thing to do in Will's simple-mindedness. The second has Curly McLain, a poor cowboy with big dreams, come to the Williams farm the morning of the dance to ask Laurey Williams to accompany him. While Laurey really likes Curly, as does her Aunt Eller, Laurey doesn't like that Curly seems to take her for granted, and that she gets sucked into his big talk which never seems to come to fruition. Partly to spite Curly, Laurey ends up accepting the dance invitation of the Williams' hired hand, Jud Fry. While respected in that role of a farmhand, Jud is generally spurned socially in his brusque manner, he living in the Williams' smokehouse in squalor. Deep in her heart, Laurey wishes she would have gone to the dance with Curly as Curly and Jud compete for her affections each in his own way, Jud's intentions a little more sinister.