Carrie McNulty is returning to the Wagon Wheel Theatre this summer for one show only.
And she hopes to terrify your children.
McNulty is cast as Elmira Gulch/the Wicked Witch in "The Wizard of Oz." It's a role she played previously in 1997.
"That makes me realize how much history I have with this theater," McNulty said in an interview Monday afternoon.
Scott Michaels is directing Wagon Wheel's production of "The Wizard of Oz" this year, having choreographed the 1997 show. McNulty said Michaels is doing a phenomenal job with the musical.
"The Wizard of Oz" is at the Wagon Wheel June 11-21.
McNulty said she and Michaels had a long conversation on McNulty's take on the role. They looked at what was in the script, and how the role of the witch is played in the beloved movie by Margaret Hamilton. Growing up, McNulty said, little kids are terrified of the witch. In the script, the witch has a lot of sarcastic wit.
"That was all cut. The kids will be terrified of me," McNulty promised.
The hard part for McNulty, she said, was all the technological aspects. One example she gave was riding the bicycle down the ramp and on the stage. It's a period bike. She's wearing a long, typical period dress, and shoes not made for biking.
"How I appear as the witch is also a challenging aspect in the show," she said.
As the tornado sweeps Dorothy, Toto and her house up, Gulch is seen riding her bicycle in the tornado. The bicycle becomes a broom, and Gulch becomes the witch.
"The transformation from Mrs. Gulch to the witch is very daunting, to pull that illusion off as a reality," McNulty said.
Doing it again this year, she said, made her remember how she made the transformation 11 years ago. Not only is there a costume change, but McNulty's skin color changes to a green tone.
She is enjoying working on the show, she said, and meeting the other actors, many who are brand new. She said the cast is very positive and full of energy.
McNulty was last seen on the Wagon Wheel stage in "Annie Get Your Gun" in 2005. An audience favorite, McNulty became a member of the Wagon Wheel family in 1996.This year, she said, it was incredibly important for her to come down here from Chicago and be a part of the theater in any capacity. From the cast and crew to the box office workers, McNulty said the Wagon Wheel is like a big family. And her performance in "The Wizard of Oz" is her own silent tribute to a member of the family the theater lost in 2007, Artistic Director Roy Hine.
"The Wizard of Oz" was one of the first shows McNulty worked on with Hine after Hine became artistic director. McNulty has never revised a role before. She didn't come back to Warsaw to revise the role of the witch. She is doing it for Hine.
McNulty said Hine was a best friend to her. Losing him had a big impact on her life.
"It changed my whole life," she said. "But the best thing we can do, those who invested so much time and energy here, is to uphold the standards he set, and continue to raise the standards."
Hine's spirit and presence is still at the theater, she said. But while paying tribute to Hine is appropriate, McNulty said, it's not to be a sad tribute.
"It's ... definitely been a challenge to be here without him. He was definitely a big part of my life," McNulty said. "The show's company is great. The show is great. It's a very, very positive start to the season."
"The Wizard of Oz" is a great story everyone loves, McNulty said, and she is ultimately back at her "home away from home" to be a part of a team. There's many new faces, and she said that's good. It's a fresh start, there's high energy and she's ready to bring the community great art.
"This is such a great, fantastic way to start off the season," McNulty said.
"It's a great production. The kids are great, the talent is high. Scott is doing a fabulous job. I'm so proud of how the season is starting off."
For more information about the Wagon Wheel Theatre or "The Wizard of Oz," or for tickets, call 574-267-8041 or toll free at 866-823-2618. The Web site is at www.wagonwheeltheatre.com
