The musical's main focus is on a cowboy named Curly and the girl he wants to marry, who's named Laurey. Their burgeoning relationship drives the entire show.
But someone else wants to marry Laurey, too. Jud Fry is a coarse fellow who lives in a smokehouse. He doesn't stand a chance with Laurey, but he's got his heart set on her, and there's pretty much nothing he won't do to claim her.
A subplot involves a boy-crazy woman named Ado Annie. She's engaged to one man, who doesn't want to marry her, while another man, Will Parker, desperately wants her to be his bride.