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EGHS travels over the rainbow this weekend
Bloomfield --There’s no place like Oz! -- especially at the Eastern Greene Elementary stage this weekend.
Come travel over the rainbow to a magical kingdom filled with munchkins, flying monkeys, witches and wizards. Join four unlikely friends as they set out to discover wisdom, compassion, courage, and the way home.
Based off the classic film, The Wizard of Oz finds Kansas farm girl Dorothy (played by Emma Morguson and Victorya Valentine) plucked from her small-town life and transported to a fantastical kingdom where magic and mischief lie around every bend in the road. Desperate for a way to return home, Dorothy is aided by a trio of unlikely friends: Scarecrow (Dakota Abel and Tucker Piedmont), Tin Man (Nolan Robinson and Andy Drummond), and a very cowardly Lion (Riley Taylor and Jason Childress). Together they set off to find a powerful Wizard, while struggling to keep Dorothy, her dog Toto, and a pair of enchanted slippers out of the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West (Jordyn Kieft and Octavia Dickinson).
Featuring the classic songs from the movie, The Wizard of Oz is a perfect theater experience for the whole family. Filled with magic and surprise, it will delight both Oz enthusiasts and those taking their first trip down the yellow brick road. Director Rob Drummond has created a production that leaves drab nostalgia behind, and drops the audience in the middle of the adventure.
One change this year is the use of an extensive double cast. Dubbed the “Webber” and “Baum” cast, there will be two complete casts. Each cast performs the title roles two nights and play ensemble parts during the other two. Says Drummond, “The double cast aspect this year has been a learning experience for everybody as we keep everything organized and rehearsed. We are just so stocked with talented performers at Eastern Greene that doing a double cast made obvious sense.”
This year marks the first time Eastern Greene has presented a musical with live musical accompaniment for the full show. After successfully adding a pit orchestra last year for parts of The Addams Family, Pit Director Cory Chapman was eager to expand their role for this year’s show. Says Chapman, “It is certainly a challenge to play the unedited broadway music parts, but I think our students have risen to the challenge. I really think you will enjoy the music performances by both the cast and instrumentalists!”
Another big addition in this year’s show is the addition of new stage curtains. “These curtains are making a huge difference in all our shows at Eastern Greene. It provides an excellent backdrop for all the hard work and dedication of our cast,” says Assistant Director and Stage Manager Erika Drummond.
The Wizard of Oz builds on EGHS’s developing reputation for delivering imaginative and high quality productions of well known musicals on a modest stage. It follows in the footsteps of 2017’s Addams Family, which provided Eastern with it’s most successful production to date.
Showtimes are Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. with the Webber cast, and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. with the Baum cast. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for Eastern Greene students. Doors open one hour before show with open seating.
For more information, call 812-825-5010. No pre-sale tickets.