by Claire DeMarco
Dorothy Gale (Alaina Turocy) lives with her Aunt Em (Greta Healy) and Uncle Henry (Anthony Costulas) and her beloved dog, Toto. Dorothy is a dreamer, wishing for a more exciting life than the one she has now in Kansas.
After a kerfuffle with nasty Miss Gulch (Mairead Roddy) over Toto, Dorothy runs away from home. Along the way she meets Professor Chester Marvel (Patrick Conner), a kind but obvious con man. With his crystal ball he just happens to have with him, he seems to know a lot about Dorothy. Playing on Dorothy’s emotions, Marvel suggests that Aunt Em is ill and needs her back home. And anyway, Dorothy, there’s a big storm coming!
Dorothy and Toto make it home but not in time to avoid it.
When the violent tornado strikes, Dorothy and Toto are swept up in her house and land unceremoniously in the magical kingdom of Munchkinland, killing the Wicked Witch of the East as they plummet to the ground.
Now more than ever Dorothy yearns to go back home. The Munchkins and Glinda the Good Witch (Greta Healy) tell her she needs to get to Oz and find the Wizard of Oz. He can help her. “Follow the Yellow Brick Road.” You can’t miss it!
Glinda gives Dorothy a pair of magical red shoes meant to protect her from the evil Wicked Witch of the West (Mairead Roddy) who’d love to have those shoes to enhance her power.
As Dorothy travels towards Oz, she meets three fascinating characters.
Scarecrow (Timothy Macuski) laments that he doesn’t have a brain. He’s stuffed with straw. “Woe is me,” Dorothy encourages him to come to Oz with her and see the Wizard.
The next encounter in their travels is with Tin Man (Cole Vecchio), whose many body parts have been replaced with tin due to accidental mishaps. He is prone to rusting but becomes the third part of the traveling group. Tin Man wants a heart.
Their final traveling companion is Cowardly Lion (Cole McGlumphy) whose attempts at bravery fall short. He is fearful and even afraid of heights.
After many trials, adventures and tribulations as they travel, the foursome finally reach Oz. They are a cohesive unit, each supporting and encouraging one another. After much cajoling, they meet the famed Wizard of Oz (Patrick Conner).
Do the travelers find the strengths or attributes they think they lack, or do they realize they had them all along? We all know the answer, but it’s about the journey not the destination.
See this wonderful production of a classic, and you’ll find out!
Note: It was great to see so many young attendees (and hopefully future theatergoers) at the show.
Turocy’s performance grows as she transitions from a girl not satisfied with her life to a caring supporter and cheerleader to the new friends she meets on the way to Oz. She sings a wonderful rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
It’s so easy to love Macuski as the gentle and kind Scarecrow. He professes that he doesn’t have a brain, but he often comes up with clever ideas as the journey to Oz continues.
Vecchio’s Tin Man often frets that he doesn’t have a heart, but his compassion is evident as he cries at his companions’ dilemma in the poppy fields.
With a wonderfully timed comedic flair, McGlumphy shines as the cowardly lion, afraid of his own shadow.
Macuski, Vecchio, and McGlumphy entertain with renditions of the song “If I Only Had …,” inserting a brain, heart, or nerve applicable to their situation.
Roddy explodes on the stage as the “Wicked Witch of the West”. Always calculating, cackling, and conjuring up schemes to get Dorothy, her facial features as the conniving witch are spot on.
Conner, as the smooth-talking Professor Marvel and part con man, somehow knows a lot about Dorothy. He is dramatic and strong, yet subtly shifts into a gentle, soft-spoken grandfather type as he convinces Dorothy to return home.
With a trilling, sugary sweet voice and constantly holding or waving a wand, Healy epitomizes goodness.
There are nineteen delightfully talented children in the Child Ensemble, all with wonderful singing voices and coordinated dance steps.
Applause to the Adult Ensemble whose timing, singing, and exceptional acting contribute to the success of this musical production.
Dylan Blussick does an outstanding job as costume designer, creating many clever, unique, and colorful designs.
An additional list of reasons to see this production:
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- Great work by Choreographer Caroline Connell.
- Marvelous makeup by Makeup Artist Dylan A. Blussick.
- Shout out to Music Director Daniel Guillaro and his accompanying musicians.
- Excellent direction by Patrick Cannon.
“The Wizard of Oz” was written by L. Frank Baum with Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg. Background music by Herbert Stothart.
-CED
“The Wizard of Oz” is a production of Little Lake Theatre Company. Performances run from April 2 to April 19th at Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg, PA. 15317. For more information, click here.
