W.C. Fields once said, “Never work with children or animals.” Evidently, Director Mary Wassick chose not to heed his warning, electing, instead, to work with both.
Following Windham Center Stage Theater’s philosophy that every child who tries out gets a part, Wassick cast 58 children and two cuddly dogs for the group’s ambitious production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
While every child was included, the twin bichon frises that shared the part of Toto had to beat out four other dogs for the honor. And, had the children not been so engaging, these fluffy, furry friends could easily have stolen the show.
No one needs an introduction to the story; this endearing, enduring L. Frank Baum classic has entranced generations with its fantastical adventures and imaginative characters. Although many versions of the play exist, Wassick and musical director Dawn Sample elected to stage the full-blown Broadway version with the MGM motion picture score we all grew up with.
It might have been familiar, but that didn’t make the play an easy one for the cast and crew. The script was long and there were a lot of songs for the children to learn. In spite of all their hard work, Wassick said that she wasn’t sure it was “going to happen” at dress rehearsal.
“For me, the biggest part was the transformation when the curtain opened,” she said.
And when that curtain first opened, the audience was treated to the stark landscape of a Kansas farm. The words and the characters were comfortably predictable, the performances convincing, as Auntie Em and Uncle Henry harvested their crops, the field hands fixed the wagon and Dorothy sang the hauntingly lovely “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
When the hateful Miss Gulch appeared, taking Dorothy’s precious dog, Toto, we knew we’d see her shortly as the Wicked Witch in the Land of Oz.
Complete with a whirling cow and a screaming witch, the ingenious twister scene was once again reminiscent of the movie.
The audience applauded when the curtains opened to a fairytale set of Munchkinland. As the Good Witch Glinda called to them, a crowd of delightful Munchkins appeared, their fanciful outfits adding splashes of color to the already colorful stage.
As Dorothy followed the yellow brick road toward the Emerald City, she met up with the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion – all cleverly costumed – and they continued along the path to see the great wizard.
The merry band traveled through haunted forests and sleep-inducing poppies, endured flying monkeys and the Jitterbugs (in a scene that didn’t make the movie) to accomplish its mission. Each scene was a treat for the eyes with the wonderful costuming and special set and prop touches.
And speaking of scenes, with 30 of them, that’s a lot of set changes for the fearless crew.
Perhaps the best testament to the quality of the performance was the steady attention of the many small children who attended Saturday afternoon’s two-and-a-half-hour show. Though they talked at times, it was always about the action – “What’s that lion going to do next?” or “Look at that witch.”
“The Wizard of Oz” will be performed at the Windham Community Center again this weekend: Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 12 at 2 p.m. Call 893-2098 for reservations.
Be sure to march on down to the theater in your ruby slippers because this show will have you clicking your heels and repeating three times: there’s no place like Windham Center Stage Theater.
Glinda the Good Witch rescues the four friends from their poppy-induced sleep. From left, Allison Sample, Shelbi Wassick, Adriana Fox, Jamie McBride and Logan Burns.Send questions/comments to the editors.
