Actress Bennie Lee McGowan was born in...

Actress Bennie Lee McGowan was born in Oklahoma and her husband, Bill, was in the oil business in Tulsa for 25 years. You just have to think that people will say they’re in love--with Oklahoma.

In fact, they are so enamored of their state’s namesake musical that they have appeared in more than 450 performances of the show in the roles of Aunt Eller and Andrew Carnes.

They were in summer productions of “Oklahoma!” at the Discoveryland Outdoor Theater in Tulsa for eight years. They’ve also done the show at other theaters in Oklahoma and Texas and performed in a mini-version of “Oklahoma!” during a fair in London in 1985.

Now they are living in Costa Mesa, and though that’s a long way from the Candlelight

Pavilion in Claremont, they couldn’t resist auditioning for the theater’s new production of “Oklahoma!”

“We have to drive 50 miles every day to do the show,” Bill McGowan said, but “we enjoy it.”

Bill McGowan said his wife, who has appeared on such television shows as “Designing Women” and “Days of Our Lives,” is the acting professional in the family. He considers himself more a singer than an actor, he said, but “Oklahoma!” gives them both a chance to perform.

“Oklahoma!” opened July 5 at the Candlelight Pavilion and will run through Sept. 15. Dinner shows are presented Wednesdays through Sundays at 6 p.m. There are also shows at a champagne brunch at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $28 to $50, including the meal.