As a 7-year-old growing up in the 1960’s, this would have been my dream come true. At that early age, I had already fallen in love with musical theatre. My fondest wish was to one day appear on stage in a musical, preferably one by the masters of the genre-- Rogers and Hammerstein.

That would have been all too wonderful...

But, for all the young, aspiring performers here in South King County, the Hi-Liners youth theatre organization has great news for you.

Anyone’s dream can come true. All you need is the desire to perform and be at least 7 years of age.

Downstage Center is the Hi-Liners’ education program that focuses on supplying a nurturing environment in which young artists can develop their talent in a “low tech” stage production. Actors 7 and older are cast in a musical, with MainStage performers used as mentors and actors in each show.

Downstage Center is presenteding OKLAHOMA: G2K, from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Getting to Know (G2K) Collection. The G2K is a 50-70 minute version of the classic musical offered for young performers in an easy-to-use adaptation.

Yes, this was a quick, condensed production of OKLAHOMA. As a result, some musical numbers were either cut from the show or shortened. Much of the dialogue was edited out. And many members of the ensemble were only in elementary school.

But remember, this is The Hi-Liners. This is the theatre company that consistently produces high quality theatre. No, not simply youth theatre, or educational theatre, The Hi-Liners give us good theatre. Period.

OKLAHOMA: G2K is no exception. All the elements of the beloved Broadway musical are there. Curley (Ryan Han), the handsome cowboy who loves the winsome but headstrong Laurey (Frankie Curry-Edwards), finds his attempts to woo her fraught with roadblocks and even a hint of danger.

You see, the menacing, gun-toting farmhand Jud Fry (Moshe Henderson) is also interested in Laurey, and asks her to accompany him to the Box Social. Curley sees he’s been refused by his lady love, so he asks Laurey’s Aunt Eller (Alicia Hoag) to be his date.

Love triangles abound here in the Oklahoma Territory. Fellow cowboy Will Parker (Trent Moury) looks to win Ado Annie’s (Courtney Heinrich) hand in marriage, but finds he has competition with the local peddler (Brandon Root).

But, in Musical Theater Land, all turns out well in the end. Love conquers all and they (well, most of them) eventually live happily ever after.

And I daresay that theatre-goers will leave happy as well. High production values and an energetic cast provide a very entertaining show that even hard-core R&H fans will appreciate.

Kudos go to principal performances by Hoag as the salty Aunt Eller, Henderson as the brooding Jud Fry and Moury as cowboy Will Parker. These young adult performers are perfect examples of the outstanding training provided over the years by The Hi-Liners program.

Special mention, however, goes to Sasha Johnson, the principal dancer in the dream sequence, where Laurey’s yearning for Curley and her fear of Jud is illustrated in a beautifully and ingeniously staged ballet. Even when Johnson is dancing with the ensemble during other musical numbers, she is a stand-out.

OKLAHOMA: G2K is appropriate for the whole family. This may be a condensed version, but none of the fun has been edited out.

OKLAHOMA: G2K runs Jan. 6-8 and Jan. 13-15 at the Burien Community Center Annex (home of Burien Little Theatre), located at 425 SW 144th St. All seats are reserved, at $10. For tickets, go to www.hi-liners.org or call 206-617-2152.