Review: 'The Wizard Of Oz' Oozes Fun Despite Show Length
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Monkeys, dogs and little children can steal a scene away from older actors in a production.
That's definitely the case in Wagon Wheel Theatre's production of "The Wizard of Oz."
As Munchkins and Flying Monkeys, the children cast in "Oz" keep the musical light and fun. And that dog that played Toto (real name Flower) was cute enough it almost made me want a dog. Almost.
After Dorothy's house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, and Glinda the Good Witch of the North appears, Glinda summons the Munchkins to "come out, come out, wherever you are." They do, and the children's musical performance of "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead" and their acting had the audience laughing and smiling and trying to catch each and every Munchkin.
There are certain Munchkins that have a little more share of the spotlight, and they earned their right to shine. The Mayor of Munchkinland couldn't have done it better Wednesday night, while the Coroner Munchkin impresses. There's also the Lullaby League and the Lollipop Guild. The League was cute, while the Guild was perfectly outrageous fun. Audiences at the Wagon Wheel will delight in watching all of the Munchkins in "Oz," but the Mayor, Coroner, Guild and League are really not to miss.
Of course, as cute and entertaining as it was to watch the children do their best on stage, the musical works overall because of the studious lead actors giving their roles their all.
The show starts off with Dorothy (Annie Fitch) holding tightly onto Toto, running onto to stage, to tell Aunt Em (Kira Lace Hawkins) and Uncle Henry (John Rapson) about the terrible thing Miss Gultch (Carrie McNulty) did and said. She can't get them to listen to her, nor will the farmhands, Hunk (Adrian Aguilar), Hickory (Brandon Springman) or Zeke (Andy Robinson).
Judy Garland made her career playing Dorothy in the original movie version. And while no one expects for an actress in the role of Dorothy to try and be Garland, Fitch does a great job of making the role her own while playing the role like most people know it. She brings a lot of emotion to the role, especially when Dorothy thinks she's going to lose Toto forever. When she cries, your heart breaks, if you have one.
However, Fitch also has an underlying of spunk and strength in her performance that Garland didn't. She gives the role of Dorothy a little bit more girl power, a little more defiance.
And, yes, she can sing, too.Before they become the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion, they are the farm handymen. And the three men in the roles couldn't be cast more perfectly.
Andy Robinson plays Zeke/Lion as if he watched the movie version repeatedly and absorbed the performance of Bert Lahr. It's otherworldly how well Robinson channels Lahr's movie performance. From his voice to his mannerisms, and the way he tugs at his tail, Robinson will not disappoint Lion fans.
Many times, Robinson will say a line, and if you're not looking - say, jotting something down in your notebook - it sounds like Lahr is up on the stage. That's not to say Robinson is just mimicking the role, he's not. He's working at his craft, and giving the audience a bit of the Lion from "Oz" they know and love.
"Oz" is Brandon Springman's first show of his first season at the Wagon Wheel. As Hickory/Tinman, Springman does give the role outward heart. It'll be interesting to see what else Springman will offer to the Wagon Wheel in future performances.
Then there is WWT veteran Adrian Aguilar, back this time as Hunk/Scarecrow. Aguilar continues to mature as an actor every year, and to watch how he's changed from one season to the next, becoming a lead actor, is amazing.
As the Scarecrow, if you watch him closely, you'll see he never falls out of character. If the Scarecrow is at a standstill, Aguilar keeps his body loose as if it's made of straw, his arms hanging down. Straw blows pretty easily in a wind. If something or someone causes the Scarecrow to tumble, Aguilar rolls or flips or slides just like a tumbleweed.
He's also become a much better dancer, especially during his part in the "Jitterbug" number. Dancing among the jitterbugs, he becomes the focus of the dance. The compliment also holds true to Aguilar's singing.
But what is "The Wizard of Oz" without the Wicked Witch?
I always thought there was more to the role than just what you get in the movie version. And if you read the book "Wicked," you'll read a unique take on her - her politics, her background, her justifications and her family.
However, until you pick that book up, you can enjoy the divine McNulty's take on the emerald-skinned villainess.
If you ever have the pleasure of meeting or talking to McNulty, you'll see that she's warm, charming, flirty and fun. She has heart and respect for others, and she's the kind of girl you just want to hang out with on the weekend. So how can someone so extraordinary play the witch? Devilishly.
McNulty plays the evil side of the Wicked Witch up, without scaring the children in the audience too much. Though there were kids in the crowd who admitted to being frightened by the witch, others were not. And, probably, not as many were as frightened by McNulty's Witch as they were the Wizard projected onto the movie screen. (That computer-animated genie-looking Wizard had kids hiding their eyes. The Wizard might have been just a little over the top, actually.)
But McNulty recalls Margaret Hamilton's version of the Wicked Witch without any of the sentimentality. She's just mean. I wish McNulty's role was longer, more flushed out. If "Wicked" ever comes to Warsaw, McNulty can take the title role.
I also loved hearing McNulty say some of my favorite lines of the witch's, like: "Just try and stay out of my way. Just try! I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!" or "Ohhhhh ... What a world! What a world!" as she melts away to oblivion.
Not to forget anyone, Hawkins did well as Aunt Em and especially Glinda, while Rapson stood out as Uncle Henry and the Guard at the Emerald City. Rapson hit the nail on the head as the Guard most noticeably. Then there's Mike Yocum as the professor and Wizard - it's a no-brainer why he got that role.
There are so many good actors in Wagon Wheel's production of "Oz," you'll enjoy the nearly three hours of it. However, that's the one big flaw I found with the show - it's length. By the time it was winding down, kids were getting restless or falling asleep and I kept wondering what time it was. The musical has numbers and lines in it that the 1939 movie version cut, but there was a reason for that - length. Considering the duration of the show, and the mild scariness, the show may not be appropriate for little children.
"Oz" is Scott Michaels' first show as director and choreographer. He obviously put a lot of time and effort and hard work into the musical, and the result is success. "Oz" is a great start to the 2008 summer season. You'll enjoy it as the nearly sold-out crowd did opening night.
My rating (out of four): 3.75.
For tickets or more information, call 574-267-8041, toll free 866-823-2618 or visit online at www.wagonwheeltheatre.com
