The cast of Oklahoma!

Some might prejudge Oklahoma!, Arena Stage’s season opener, as a throwback, a safe choice, a corny, hoedown-punctuated museum piece. But director Molly Smith has injected Oklahoma! with an optimistic sense of immediacy, and seeing this fresh production as the debut performance in the company’s stunning new home helps underscore how significant the work has been in the innovation of American musical theater.

Those who know the show chiefly through the elongated “Oooooooooo” in the title number might be surprised to find out how revolutionary the piece was in its day. Audiences weren’t used to musicals where songs actually advanced the plot, or to shows which opened with a plaintive, almost lullaby ballad rather than a splashy song and dance number. But what’s most welcome about Arena’s production isn’t Smith’s reverence for the Rogers and Hammerstein classic, but rather how impressively the show resonates with contemporary audiences.

The tools for a successful Broadway musical are all there: the jubilant, eye-popping choreography from Parker Esse, the stellar casting, the rousing harmonics of the chorus. But the emotional impact of this production is what delivers the most surprises. The sheer excitement, coupled with embrace of progress, that the cowboy Curly shows towards the turbulent times the frontier faces, feels positively refreshing while watching this show during a time where fear and prejudice seem to color thoughts of change. And Smith also isn’t afraid to contend with the more complicated questions Oklahoma! presents — a hastily concluded citizen’s trial in the second act feels downright uncomfortable in its breezy approach to justice.