by Frank O’Donnell
We’re off to see the Wizard. You’ve seen “The Wizard of Oz” dozens of times on TV – most likely – so you know the story.
But, wait, there’s more. The current production of the show on stage at Theatre by the Sea has a few twists. Nothing major, just a sprinkling of modern references, and a tweaking of one of the movie’s more familiar songs.
Let’s get to the basics. Dorothy is down home on the farm with her little dog and her aunt and uncle and three farm hands. Toto gets into trouble with Miss Gulch. She takes him away in a bike basket, and he escapes. Dorothy runs away from home and meets Professor Marvel, who convinces her to return home. And that’s when the tornado hits.
There’s some technical wizardry here that’s really very impressive, recreating the effects from the movie with which we’re all familiar. Everything that had been sepia-toned before becomes Technicolor, and suddenly, we’re not in Kansas anymore. I have to admit, the transition gave me goosebumps, it was done so well.
Dorothy meets all sorts of strange beings in the Land of Oz, and you know them well. The Munchkins 0 who are exceedingly cute and colorful – Glinda, Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Wizard of Oz and of course, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Up until this point, the presentation sticks close to what we’re used to. Then we meet the Scarecrow. He’s joined in “If I Only Had a Brain” by three talking, singing and dancing crows. I found that interesting.
When we meet the Tin Man, he’s surrounded by apple trees. They of course talk as in the movie, but they also dance and sing. Also interesting. This is Oz, after all, and things are not meant to be normal.
The Cowardly Lion’s “If I Were King of the Forest” – sung when the quartet has arrived in the Emerald City – is a departure from the song to which you’re accustomed. While it’s a fun production number, I found it a little distracting as it incorporated elements of the original and then veered away from it.
There are nods to other shows throughout this one. When the Cowardly Lion is telling his back story, it includes a recollection of his father taking him to the top of a mountain to see what would one day be his. A reference from “Lion King.” And the residents of Emerald City move and are costumed like those in “Wicked,” a show which is of course based on “The Wizard of Oz.”
And let’s not forget about the flying. There’s lots of it. Glinda, the Wicked Witch, a monkey and the Wizard all take flight.
There are terrific performances here, notably Devon Perry’s Dorothy, Richard E. Waits’ Cowardly Lion, Tom Gleadow’s Wizard, Maria Day’s Witch and Rochelle Smith’s Glinda. “The Wizard of Oz” is a fun show, with just enough stepping away from what you expect to keep you on your toes.
[Theatre by the Sea presents “The Wizard of Oz” through August 13 at their newly-air conditioned oceanside location in Matunuck. For tickets and information, call 401.782.8587 or visit www.theatrebythesea.com.]
