Curtis High Grad Eric Ankrim's Name Up in Lights at 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle

If you happen to walk by the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle as of late and glanced up, your eyes might have caught a face familiar to University Place.

The face of Eric Ankrim, a Curtis High graduate, is featured on the brightly lit sign for the theater’s production of “Oklahoma!” He is playing the lead role of Curly in the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical.

Ankrim has made a name and reputation for himself in the local theater scene, already known as one of the busiest actors in Seattle. For Ankrim, a father of two, Curly represents the first lead role at 5th Avenue Theatre.

The musical – set during the early 1900’s in Oklahoma – is a tale about love, with the lead character, a cowboy, finding trouble with admitting his feelings for the main female character, Laurey.

In an interview posted on the 5th Avenue Theater website, Ankrim describes his role:

“I say Curly is a free spirit,” he said. “He’s a dreamer. He’s ultimately a lover. We don’t get that a lot because there’s a little teasing going on.”

“One of the things I love about kind of the energy of this production of ‘Oklahoma!’ is really trying to find people that have that youthful energy and really embrace the almost adolescent love of Curly and Laurey.”

(Click here for ticket and other information)

“Oklahoma!” runs through March 4 at the 5th Avenue Theater, 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle.

That isn’t the only 5th Avenue Theatre production over the next few months in which Ankrim will play the lead role. He also will star in“First Date,” the theater’s comedic musical about two people on a date and “all of the voices in their heads.”

The production – a collaboration between the 5th Avenue Theater and ACT Theatre - will run from March 10 through May 20. That theatre is located at 700 Union Street in Seattle.

(Click here to read former Patch contributor Candace Brown’s review of “Oklahoma!” on her blog)