N.C. Theatre Conservatory opens 'Oklahoma!' Friday

The N.C. Theatre Conservatory will present the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma" tonight through Sunday at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh.

The show is a culmination of the N.C. Theatre Conservatory's Master Summer Theatre Arts School, a four-week camp with an emphasis on pre-professional training and is made up of middle school students to rising college students.

As I've written before, yes, these are kids on stage, but they are incredibly talented kids up there. In fact, last year's Conservatory show, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat," won a Broadway World Raleigh Award for Best Local Production. The production also will feature a kids chorus of elementary school children.

On Friday, I had the chance to sit down with two of these amazingly talented teens for a Facebook Live video. Joseph Gaitens is a rising junior at Green Hope High School and plays the role of Will Parker. Cady van Venrooy, a rising junior at Ravenscroft School, plays Ado Annie.

We talked about their experience in the conservatory, which offers programs for kids all year; what they love about the classic musical "Oklahoma!;" and more. Joseph even demonstrates his lasso skills, which he learned as part of the program. Loved chatting with these two!