 The casting for Carousel began when Oklahoma ! ' s production team , including Rodgers and Hammerstein , was seeking a replacement for the part of Curly ( the male lead in Oklahoma ! ) . Lawrence Langner had heard , through a relative , of a California singer named John Raitt , who might be suitable for the part . Langner went to hear Raitt , then urged the others to bring Raitt to New York for an audition . Raitt asked to sing Largo al factotum , Figaro 's aria from The Barber of Seville , to warm up . The warmup was sufficient to convince the producers that not only had they found a Curly , they had found a Liliom ( or Billy Bigelow , as the part was renamed ) . Theresa Helburn made another California discovery , Jan Clayton , a singer / actress who had made a few minor films for MGM . She was brought east and successfully auditioned for the part of Julie . 
