By Jennifer Stultz
Tri-County Tribune Editor
jstultz@cherryroad.com
Director Randi Shetley and a host of crew leaders and helpers, plus a talented cast of more than 100 actors, actresses and technicians, brought light, life and laughter to the Ross-Ellis Center for Arts and Ministry on the Barclay College campus the past two weekends in Haviland. The Wizard of Oz, a timeless story of triumph over adversity proved there is “no place like home” and that joy is in in the journey.
The Oz production at Barclay opened with the dry humor of a rural farm community and a storm of realistic proportions due to flipping video scenes, flashing auditorium lights, and dry ice dust clouds.
A child in the audience wondered “What’s happening?” and then suddenly it was all lights, flowers, and bright colors on stage.
The classic story had several amusing punchlines, including Scarecrow’s “people without a brain do an awful lot of talking.”
The play cast performed superbly but there was a show-stealer among the usual sweet Dorothy, haphazard scare crow, goofy lion, and so forth characters; a green guard at the gates of Oz had a hop-skip, hangdog personality that brought smiles and laughter to those watching the performances that was unexpected and hilarious.
All in all, Shetley said that the beloved MGM film and L. Frank Baum’s classic story became Barclay College’s largest and most successful show to date with 1,900 tickets sold and standing ovations night after night.
The dancers, the monkeys, the jitterbugs, the tech crews, and more all helped convey the message that even when life just feels like it is just one challenge after another, there is hope in friendship.
“There may be times we are on the verge of a breakthrough, but we don’t have the strength to look up,” said vocal director Kim Stewart. “The song lyrics from this show remind us to step into the sun and step into the light. Hold onto your heart and hold onto your hope. What a great message!”
The Wizard of Oz was presented by arrangement with Tams-Witmark, a Concord Theatricals company. www.concordtheatricals.com.
