OU-SICAL! THE MUSICAL
SYNOPSIS
ACT I
The curtain rises to reveal OU’s very own Seed Sower statue (The Seed Sower’s Prologue). As the sun comes up in the East, the Seed Sower introduces us to life in Norman, Oklahoma (A Normal Norman Mornin’). Soon, we meet our hero, Ben Tiller, a freshman letters major who longs to be a drama major. We also meet his questionable fratboy roommate, Trey. As the two settle in for bed, they dream about the year to come (The Year). The next day, Ben meets the girl of his dreams: a freshman musical theatre major named Emily. They fall in love in efficient, musical theatre fashion (Love at First Sight in a Musical). Later, Ben gets a surprise visit in his dorm room from his new neighbors: his mom and dad! (Mom’s Surprise) Ben’s overbearing mother quickly finds out that he has been fraternizing with a “theatre person” and she vehemently expresses her disapproval. Meanwhile, Trey is at his first frat party and he’s found a match of his own (Hazing Buddy!). Doing his best to prove his manhood, Trey drinks five gallons of water and falls into a coma, prompting a media frenzy. The scene shifts to the office of President Boren, who comes up with an effective response to the tragedy: just shut off the water! (The Gospel According to Boren) The following evening is the night of the 80’s-themed dance party on the Walker/Adams mall, but Ben and Emily have an ill-timed lover’s spat. She sits in her dorm, taking solace in a bottle of Ny-quil. Now that she's a little doped up and thinking about Ben, she absentmindedly puts a baked potato--foil, fork and all-⎯in the microwave, starting a fire (All I Can See). Meanwhile, as Ben ponies his anger out at the 80’s dance, everyone there begins to notice flames coming out of the tower. (There’s a Fire!)
ACT II
In the week following the events of the first act, Emily has been placed in a detention camp on arson charges, and lots of students have been arrested for “water crimes”. The first scene is the mandatory “water education meeting” at Lloyd Noble Center, where the entertainment is a dance routine by Emily’s ditzy roommate, Kailee Van Trottel (Just Say No to H2O). The following night, Mom and Dad find themselves walking through OU’s north oval for the first time in decades. Mom gets caught up in romantic nostalgia and sets her crosshairs on an unsuspecting Dad (El Tango de Mom and Dad). Meanwhile, Sooner head coach Bob Stoops can’t seem to find the spirit to head down to the field, and there’s only half an hour until kickoff. His secretary leaves him alone just long enough for him to consider how he ended up being a football coach in the first place (Bob’s Big Number). The next day, Ben arrives at the detention camp where Emily is being held. He intends to apologize, and decides to take care of the situation the musical theatre way (Love Song Reprise in a Musical). Suddenly, news breaks that President Boren has upped the ante on his dry campus policy and completely outlawed alcohol. Enraged, the student body calls out for a leader. Emily and an angry grad student named Michael have been locked up for “water crimes,” but through their bars, they urge Ben to lead a protest and reverse the new laws (Do or Die pt. 1). Ben knows what he has to do, but can’t quite summon the courage… that is, until he gets a personal pep talk from Bob Stoops himself (Bob’s Big Pep Talk). Determined, Ben leads a protest to the lawn of president Boren’s house (Do or Die Ultimo). Once there, Ben must prove his right to lead such a revolt on the behalf of the whole student body (I Am Every Sooner). President Boren descends from Boyd house and argues his point, but the Seed Sower comes to the aid of the students and changes the President’s mind (The Seed Sower Speaks). President Boren reverses the laws, frees all of the water crime convicts, and vows to give everyone in Norman a free beer (Have a Beer!)