Contemporary twists on timeless classics, R&H GOES POP! is an unforgettable celebration of 75 years of Broadway’s most influential collaborators. Join your favorite Broadway stars as they put their own spin on the Rodgers & Hammerstein songbook. To watch more go to the full playlist: bit.ly/RHGoesPopPBS
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TRANSCRIPT
[upbeat music] Hi, I'm Laura Osnes.
And in 2013 I got to play Ella in 'Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella' on Broadway.
The works of Rodgers & Hammerstein have affected my life and my career tremendously.
I've gotten to portray several of their heroines in productions of 'Cinderella,' 'South Pacific,' 'Carousel,' 'The Sound of Music,' and even 'Pipe Dream.'
Ever since their first collaboration, 'Oklahoma,' which premiered in 1943, the works of Rodgers & Hammerstein have influenced millions and are being performed every day around the globe.
No one changed musical theater history more than Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein the II.
And now 75 years later, my friends and I are getting together to re-imagine these classic songs for new generations in 'R&H Goes Pop,' a brand new video series that is sure to be something wonderful.
Experience Rodgers & Hammerstein like never before with contemporary twists on timeless classics, exploring the R&H catalog and celebrating Broadway's most influential writing team.
Join me and some of your favorite Broadway stars as we put our own spin on the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalog.
♪ And she's taking me back to the sky ♪ ♪ Ten minutes ago ♪ For the next ten minutes ♪ Ten minutes ago ♪ For the next ten minutes It's a testament to the power of Rodgers & Hammerstein's music and you know, their genius.
That 75 years later, they can still have such a powerful impact on people and on audiences around the world.
♪ The breeze is so busy, it don't miss a tree ♪ Yeah, I think that's what the magic of the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein really really does for people.
It not only reminds them of how they felt, but you can remember where you were when you first heard a lyric, and it's the simplicity of the lyric that carries through to today.
They deal with these, this timeless topic of love, overcoming all obstacles regardless of place, time or circumstance.
Every one of their pieces deals with this timeless theme that regardless of what period you're living in is always going to be relevant.
♪ Gayer than laughter am I, ♪ Angel and lover, Heaven and Earth am I with you ♪ It's always interesting in any art form to take something old and make it new and see how it holds up.
Sort of examine it, put it up to the light and see what what is new to find about it.
And I think that's sort of an important reason why we update these songs and why we revisit these ideas because it's young people who are still performing and learning this material ♪ The most entrancing sight of all is yet for me to see, ♪ ♪ and the dearest love in all the world is waiting somewhere for me ♪ To arrange it in this way, to sort of strip Rodgers & Hammerstein and their music from its sort of elemental core of that kind of classic field and turn it into conceptually something completely different is very indicative of how good their music is.
♪ Once nearly was mine I think it's so unbelievably important to continue to share these songs with people who may have not heard them before.
If we don't know our history, if we don't know the great things that have happened before us.
How can we dare to make great things happen again?
I think it deals with so many complicated issues that were ahead of their time.
I mean, they're talking about two lovers who can't be together and the song captures that.
It will always be relevant, whether who you love or what you love.
The song speaks true to the connection ♪ Together we sigh, for one smiling day to be free ♪
