Excellent news: Oklahoma! is heading to The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre this summer with an entirely Irish production.
With the 19 June premiere drawing nearer, rehearsals have started for Bord Gáis Energy Theatre’s second wholly in-house production. Building on the triumph of last season’s entirely in-house staging of Little Shop of Horrors, a fresh production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 classic Oklahoma! is set to run for three weeks this summer. The show brings together an all-Irish cast and creative team who have begun rehearsals in earnest.
The enduring musical unfolds in the early 1900s Oklahoma Territory, charting the love triangle between a gallant cowboy and a ruthless hired hand as they vie for a fierce and independent farmer’s daughter. It premiered in 1943 to a rapturous reception.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s initial collaboration was pioneering; it was the equivalent of a blockbuster in its era. This marks the first occasion that the beloved musical, featuring tunes such as Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’, I Can’t Say No, and People Will Say We’re in Love, will grace Ireland’s premier venue, presented with a bold, contemporary interpretation.
Stephen Faloon, the producer behind last year’s Little Shop of Horrors, returns to steer this new production. Claire Tighe, chief executive of TheatreworX Productions, joins as director, noting that this version of Oklahoma places female characters squarely at its heart, adopting a feminist emphasis and granting them genuine agency—especially through wardrobe choices, with many female characters and ensemble members set to wear trousers, and one even sporting a gun holster.
The all-Irish casting has created considerable buzz, with notable names such as David James Whelan from Wild Youth taking on Curly McClain, and Molly Lynch, acclaimed for Laurey Williams in Leicester’s Curve Theatre production of My Fair Lady, taking on Laurey. IFTA-winning actor Enda Oates has also signed to portray Andrew Carnes, whom many know from Fair City as Pete Ferguson. Oliver Flitcroft, a graduate of The Lír Academy who recently played Glen in Cara Christie’s Brambles at Dublin Fringe Fringe Festival 2025, will join the cast as Jud Fry.
Ahead of rehearsals commencing this week, we spoke to the leads, Molly Lynch and David James Whelan about all things Oklahoma!.
Claire discussed how the updated interpretation shifts the focus toward a feminist lens. Was that difficult to grasp or liberating?
Molly: “As Claire noted, the material itself carries a strong feminist thread. Its age is only a reminder of the era it emerged from, yet when you read it closely, Laurey is a heroine with considerable independence. Essentially, the plot hinges on her choice between two suitors, which is about as feminist as it gets. I often tell people it feels a bit like Twilight with rival teams—Team Edward, Team Jacob—and here you have Team Judd versus Team Curly. Laurey remains empowered throughout, and I’m thrilled that Claire is embracing and amplifying that perspective in this production. It’s both captivating and exhilarating.”
This is Bord Gáis Energy Theatre’s second in-house production. Do you feel there is a little bit of pressure, with ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ being received so well?
David: “Yes, there’s definitely pressure to match or exceed last year’s success with Little Shop of Horrors. It was a fantastic production, and naturally we want to maintain that standard and deliver something special for Stephen, for the Bord Gáis team, and for the directors and everyone pouring heart into this project. We’re incredibly excited; the entire cast feels extraordinary, and the energy in the room when we first gathered is infectious. If it translates on stage as it appears on paper, we’re in for a great show.”
You have both performed on huge international stages. What is it like getting to perform in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, in front of a home crowd?
David: “Incredible. It feels fantastic to perform there—it’s almost like performing in my own city. The Bord Gáis is an exceptional venue and a remarkable space. I’m a proud Dublin native, born and raised, and I’m utterly fond of it. Each time I step away, I want to return. I’m a true homebody. So the idea of living and performing there for three weeks with the whole company is something special, and I’m eagerly looking forward to it.”
Molly: “It fills me with pride to undertake a project of this magnitude on Irish soil. I’ve spent a decade in London, hail from Cork, and I’m not a native of Dublin, so I also carry pride for Cork. The musical theatre talent across Ireland is outstanding, and so many Irish performers work in London; it’s wonderful to have a venue like this backing artists like us. To mount something of this scale, with this level of craft and excellence, is incredibly thrilling.”
What are your aspirations for the future of musical theatre in Ireland?
Molly: “For me, the aim is to elevate musical theatre to the same standing as film, opera, and straight theatre. Ireland is highly regarded, and our rich heritage in poetry and music is immense, yet musical theatre often sits in the shadows, sometimes reduced to pantomime, which I do enjoy, but which can be dismissed as trivial. What Stephen is doing at Bord Gáis, along with all the artists involved, demonstrates that this is a high form of art—multidisciplinary and deeply rooted in our culture. My dream is for it to be accorded the same respect as other esteemed art forms around the world, crafted beautifully by Irish creatives. Jesse Buckley, a local hero, is a standout example of musical theatre excellence, and I’d love to see the genre held in the same esteem alongside those art forms.”
There’s a huge buzz with this being an in-house production, all Irish cast, Irish creative team. You have all just started getting to know each other, do you think it makes it a little bit easier, with everyone being Irish?
David: “Irish people tend to share a similar sense of humour—it’s part of our fabric. We’re quick to laugh, quick to chat, and we genuinely support one another. That sense of camaraderie is particularly evident in this production, right from the first moment we spent together in the room. Everyone is cheering for their colleagues and watching out for one another, which will foster something special and make the space feel welcoming. It’s a rare moment to have an all-Irish ensemble of this size, and the mutual support will help us shine.”
Molly: “I suspect I’ll have to recalibrate a bit, having spent years concealing many of my Irish quirks while in the UK. I’m thinking, finally, I can be entirely myself here. I can drop the odd eccentric joke without hesitation. It feels like a freeing moment, because I’ve spent so long muting my Irishness—‘hold back, Molly, hold back’—over there. Now it seems everyone is flourishing, and I’m thrilled by it.”
Oklahoma! will be running from June 19 to July 5 in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Tickets available here.
