Mark Turpin wanted to play his opposite.
Last September, when the Royal City Musical Theatre issued a call for actors for its upcoming production of Oklahoma!, the 27-year-old Coquitlam resident auditioned for Jud Fry.
"He's the typical villain," the Gleneagle secondary grad said. "He's out to get the girl. He's lonely and misunderstood, which I don't relate to at all because I'm an extrovert. He's been a challenge to play but it's fun to explore and tackle the role."
Fry, a hired hand on Aunt Eller's ranch, is one of the lead characters in Oklahoma!, the first stage musical penned by Rodgers and Hammerstein that opened on Broadway 70 years ago and, for RCMT version, features six other Tri-City residents: Daniel Cordoso, Kallista Jones, Maddison Popov, Ryan Purdy, Melissa Assalone and Nathan Sartore, a Heritage Woods secondary student who recently appeared as a lead in his Port Moody school's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Turpin, who is currently studying for his BFA in theatre at SFU and teaches theatre at Coquitlam's Lindbjerg Academy, said the RCMT performance will be a treat for the audience. "It's such a warm, lovely piece of theatre," he said. "It has romance, drama, suspense and a happy ending."
And best of all are the songs - Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin', The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, Many a New Day, People Will Say We're In Love and Oklahoma! - that will be played by a 19-piece orchestra and sung by 44 cast members, he said.
Turpin also commented on the costumes by Chris Sinosich and choreography by director and Port Coquitlam resident Valerie Easton, RCMT's artistic director. "Everything is visually stunning," said Turpin, who was in the ensemble for RCMT's 42nd Street in 2007 and has performed in five Theatre Under the Stars musicals.
The narrative of Oklahoma! centres on the town of Claremore in 1906 and the romance between cowboy Curly McLain and farm girl Laurey Williams.
Oklahoma! runs April 11 to 27 at the Massey Theatre (735 Eighth Ave., New Westminster). For tickets starting at $20, call 604-521-5050 or visit www.masseytheatre.com.
