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| Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma |
| City | Oklahoma City |
| Country | United States |
| Designation | Regional theatre |
Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma
Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma is a regional musical theatre company based in Oklahoma City that produces classic and contemporary musical theatre works. The company presents a summer season and year-round programming in collaboration with local institutions such as the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Civic Center Music Hall, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. Lyric engages artists connected to Broadway, Off-Broadway, the Kennedy Center, and national tours from cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Founded in the late 20th century by local arts leaders and theatre practitioners, the organization evolved from community productions affiliated with institutions like the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City University. Early collaborations included staging works alongside groups such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Regional Theatre Tony Award recipients, and touring companies from the Goodman Theatre and Arena Stage. Over decades, Lyric developed partnerships with regional presenters such as Lyric Opera of Oklahoma and national producers like Disney Theatrical Group, Nederlander Organization, and Saban Entertainment. The company’s trajectory intersects with figures associated with Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin repertoire while drawing directors and designers who have worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Second City.
Lyric’s mission emphasizes producing musical theatre, cultivating performing arts professionals, and serving audiences in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, including partnerships with municipal entities like the Oklahoma City Council and cultural funders such as the Oklahoma Arts Council. Governance is overseen by a volunteer board of directors composed of patrons associated with institutions like the Philbrook Museum of Art, Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, and philanthropic organizations such as the Ford Foundation and Gates Foundation supporters. Administrative leadership often includes alumni of conservatories like Juilliard School, Yale School of Drama, and Carnegie Mellon University, and the artistic team has connections to companies including American Conservatory Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, and the Paperhand Puppet Intervention.
Performances are staged in venues across Oklahoma City and the surrounding region, ranging from historic houses to modern theatres such as the Civic Center Music Hall, university auditoriums at Oklahoma State University and University of Central Oklahoma, and black box spaces reminiscent of New York Theatre Workshop and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Technical facilities include fly systems inspired by designs used at the Guthrie Theater and rigging comparable to that at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Costume and prop shops operate with equipment standards similar to shops at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and rehearsal spaces mirror pedagogical setups used by the School of American Ballet and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art affiliates.
Season programming mixes revival musicals, contemporary premieres, and developmental readings, presenting works by creators associated with Stephen Schwartz, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jason Robert Brown, Kander and Ebb, Jerry Herman, Tim Rice, Elton John, Alan Menken, and Maury Yeston. Productions have featured scripts and scores from publishing houses like Music Theatre International and Concord Theatricals and have hosted workshops in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and New York Theatre Barn. Lyric has mounted large-scale titles connected to companies such as Disney Theatrical, R&H Theatricals, and The Shubert Organization, and has programmed concert events highlighting repertory from the Great American Songbook and Broadway cast recordings produced by labels like Decca Records and Masterworks Broadway.
Educational initiatives include youth conservatory programs, summer camps, and apprentice schemes paralleling models from the Sante Fe Opera Apprentice Program and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Outreach partnerships extend to public school districts including Oklahoma City Public Schools and arts education nonprofits such as Young Audiences Arts for Learning USA and the National Endowment for the Arts educational grants. Community engagement frequently involves residencies at institutions like the Oklahoma City-County Library and collaborations with advocacy groups similar to Americans for the Arts and service organizations like the Rotary Club.
Alumni and staff include performers, directors, and designers who have worked on productions on Broadway and in national tours for shows such as Hamilton (musical), Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked (musical), The Lion King (musical), and Rent (musical). The creative team has included professionals connected to institutions like the Kennedy Center Honors, Tony Awards, Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and regional companies such as BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), La Jolla Playhouse, and The Old Globe.
Lyric’s productions and contributors have received regional honors akin to the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award, recognition from organizations like the American Theatre Wing, and nominations in state and regional arts awards comparable to the B. Iden Payne Awards and Helen Hayes Awards. Guest artists associated with Lyric have achieved national accolades including Tony Award nominations and wins, Drama Desk Awards, and grants from foundations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and Pratt Foundation.
Category:Theatres in Oklahoma