It’s hard hats for all as Oklahoma cast visit the Montgomery

The city centre venue has been closed in recent months for a major refurbishment programme, including the installation of a lift and improved disabled access.

One of the first companies on stage when the curtain rises on a new chapter in the Montgomery story will be the Woodseats team with their production of Rodgers and Hammerstein Western musical legend Oklahoma, which runs from July 10 to 13.

And members of the cast donned their hard hats - provided by site construction company T&C Williams - as they met venue manager Chris Ellis for a special look at the long-awaited improvement works.

“The Montgomery has been our home for many years now and we are so excited to be one of the first companies to welcome audiences back to this great city centre theatre,” said Woodseats Musical Theatre Company chair Mary Newey.

“Oklahoma is one of the all time Broadway, West End and movie classics and our production will introduce the show to a whole new generation of musical fans.”

Oklahoma was the show that transformed the stage musical when it opened in 1943.

Its simple story of cowboys and farmers revolutionised the genre and took both Broadway and the West End by storm before going on to become one of the great Oscar-winning Hollywood movie musicals.

Oklahoma is even credited as being the show that cemented the romance between Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip when they attended the London premiere together and hit song People Will Say We’re in Love became their personal favourite.

Tickets cost £19 each for all performances, with a discount offer of six tickets for £99 if booked at the same time for the same performance.

Tickets are available now on The Montgomery Theatre website at themontgomery.org.uk/event/rodgers-hammersteins-oklahoma/ or call 0114 2644803.