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Venice Theatre is bringing a long-time audi- ence favorite to the stage during the height of season — Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! The production will open Tuesday, Feb. 18, and run through Sunday, March 16. Tickets are $10 to $15 for students and $25 to $28 for adults. They may be purchased online at venicestage.com or by contacting the box office at 488-1115. "The romantic story of the cowboy (Curly) who tries to win over a farm girl (Laurey) on the Oklahoma prairie, circa 1906, has become a standard of the musical theatre genre," a news release notes. "However, it was unlike anything anyone had seen before when it first appeared on Broadway in 1943." Written and scored by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Oklahoma! was the duo's first collaboration. They went on to write 10 more musicals, the last being The Sound of Music. Oklahoma! is recognized "for setting the stan- dards of what has become a truly American art form" — the Broadway musical, the release continues. "Early reviews were ecstatic and almost always pointed to the never-before-seen integration of song, dance and story," the release says. Venice Theatre's director and choreogra- pher, Dennis Clark, says he will be drawing from the look and feel of the 2002 Broadway revival of Oklahoma! which touched on some of the darker, more naturalistic elements of the story, the release adds. RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S OKLAHOMA! COMING TO VENICE Joseph Grosso received a $300 cash prize for his work, along with a trophy that will be on display at Lakewood Ranch High School for one year, the release notes. Additionally, Elevate My Life will be performed at Theatre Odyssey's annual Ten-Minute Play Festival, set for May 1-4 in a new location, the Jane B. Cooke Theatre at Asolo Repertory Theatre's Florida State University Center for the Performing Arts. Second place went to Jenna Greenfield, also from Lakewood Ranch High School, for her play, The Gate, directed by Mark Woodland and featuring actors Carly Alise Baker and Summer Begalka, the release says. Greenfield received a $100 cash prize. "This is only the second year of the festival and we had 17 entries plus a filled theater to see the work," said Preston Boyd, artistic director of the event and Theatre Odyssey trustee, in the release. "Thanks to everyone involved who has made this event a real suc- cess. We are thrilled to see such support for the next generation of playwrights." Of those entries from three counties, the plays of six finalists were chosen to be per- formed by experienced community actors and directors, "who brought the work to life," the release continues. Theatre Odyssey was founded in 2006 to encourage and promote the efforts of local playwrights and actors, the release e x p l a i n s . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n v i s i t theatreodyssey.org. Sarasota News Leader February 14, 2014 Page 105