Oklahoma! had been a struggle to finance and produce. Hammerstein and Rodgers met weekly in 1943 with Theresa Helburn and Lawrence Langner of the Theatre Guild, producers of the blockbuster musical, who together formed what they termed "the Gloat Club". At one such luncheon, Helburn and Langner proposed to Rodgers and Hammerstein that they turn Molnár's Liliom into a musical. Both men refused—they had no feeling for the Budapest setting and thought that the unhappy ending was unsuitable for musical theatre. In addition, given the unstable wartime political situation, they might need to change the setting from Hungary while in rehearsal.Fordin, p. 220 At the next luncheon, Helburn and Langner again proposed Liliom, suggesting that they move the setting to Louisiana and make Liliom a Creole. Rodgers and Hammerstein played with the idea over the next few weeks, but decided that Creole dialect, filled with "zis" and "zose", would sound corny and would make it difficult to write effective lyrics.
oklahoma had been a struggle to finance and produce hammerstein and rodgers met weekly in 1943 with theresa helburn and lawrence langner of the theatre guild producers of the blockbuster musical who together formed what they termed "the gloat club" at one such luncheon helburn and langner proposed to rodgers and hammerstein that they turn molnár's liliom into a musical both men refused—they had no feeling for the budapest setting and thought that the unhappy ending was unsuitable for musical theatre in addition given the unstable wartime political situation they might need to change the setting from hungary while in rehearsalfordin p 220 at the next luncheon helburn and langner again proposed liliom suggesting that they move the setting to louisiana and make liliom a creole rodgers and hammerstein played with the idea over the next few weeks but decided that creole dialect filled with "zis" and "zose" would sound corny and would make it difficult to write effective lyrics