State Fair

State Fair is a musical with a book by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and music by Richard Rodgers. Phil Stong's original 1932 novel, State Fair, was first adapted for film in 1933 in a production starring Will Rogers. In 1945, the film was remade as a musical with original songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein. This was subsequently remade in 1962 as well as adapted into a made-for-television movie in 1976. The stage production closely follows the plot of its predecessors, providing a glimpse into the life of a farming family, the Frakes, and their three-day adventure at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines in 1946. While parents Abel and Melissa are hoping to win a few blue ribbons, siblings Margy and Wayne are more interested in finding romance on the midway. Production history In 1969, The Muny in St. Louis presented the world stage premiere of State Fair starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson with Ron Husmann, Jerry Lanning, Bonnie Schon, Carol Richards, Jack Goode, Tom Pedi, Tommy Tune and Lawrence Leritz in the children's chorus. The production was directed by James Hammerstein, supervised by Richard Rodgers and also choreographed by Tommy Tune. Additional songs included in this production were three from "Me & Juliet"; "It's Me!", "Keep It Gay" and "Marriage Type Love" and a new one, "Away From Home." In 1992 a new stage adaptation, by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli, was produced as part of the Broadway Preview Series at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and was directed and choreographed by Randy Skinner. The show played at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem from July 17 – August 16, 1992. From North Carolina, the show moved to Long Beach Civic Light Opera in October 1992.