Key West Florida Weekly

‘Oklahoma Smith’ opens at the Key West Theater April 4




The hit play “Oklahoma Smith and the Pantheon of Annihilation” by local playwrights Michael Marrero and Christopher Shultz has been turned into a full-fledged musical that opens April 4 at the Key West Theater. In this decidedly adult choose-your-own-adventure musical, the first of its kind, the plot twists and turns in hilarious ways as each major decision is decided by the audience.

The plot: famed explorer Oklahoma Smith and his trusty sidekick, Beanpole, set out to find the lost “Book of the Dead” and save the world from the evil Mistress Nefarious. The twist: the audience chooses how scenes play out. Does Oklahoma fight the demon ninja or jump the chasm? You decide. Does he take on the gunfight or go get a lap dance? You decide. Fast-paced dance numbers, mine cart chases, and even zombies make an appearance in the musical, a parody of the “Indiana Jones” action films. Think of the “Indiana Jones” films getting the “Book of Mormon” treatment.

Mr. Marrero and Mr. Shultz have spent the past year reworking the script and, along with co-producer Juliet Gray, brought on board the award-winning composer Nikko Benson to create original songs for the musical. Mr. Benson’s work has received development residencies with Pace New Musicals, the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Goodspeed Writers Colony, to name a few, and he recently received the prestigious Jonathan Larson grant.

The musical stars local favorite David Black as Oklahoma Smith, alongside Brandon Beach, Colin Bevis, Dakota Mackey- McGee, Chad Newman, Phillip Cole White and Alexandra Zeto. Tim Peterson is the music director and Helen Hayes award-winning Jessica Redish directs and choreographs.

“Oklahoma Smith and the Pantheon of Annihilation” runs through April 29 at the Key West Theater, 512 Eaton Street in Old Town. Tickets are available now at www.thekeywesttheater.com or by calling (305) 985-0433. There will be an opening night party following the April 4 show for all who attend. ¦



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