by Mike Hoban
‘The Wizard of Oz’ – By L. Frank Baum. Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Background Music by Herbert Stothart. Based on the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros. Directed by Nick Vargas; Choreographed by Tiffany Lau; Music Direction by Todd Gordon. Presented by the Wheelock Family Theatre at 180 Riverway, Boston through May 1.
The Wheelock Family Theatre returned to the stage this past weekend after a 765-day hiatus with a stripped down production of The Wizard of Oz, with nine actors playing all of the roles – from leading characters to the ensemble players. The family favorite is buoyed by a terrific performance by Lily Park as Dorothy, the young girl who is swept away in a tornado and transported to the magical world of Oz to find out that “there’s no place like home”.
This production adheres reasonably close to the core of the movie version, but incorporates a good deal more humor, much of which seems designed for adults – particularly Katie Anne Clarke’s wisecracking Wicked Witch. There’s also an additional production number, “Jitterbug’’, that was cut from the film, but restored for the musical. One of the problems with any stage version of a classic film is that it’s difficult to avoid comparisons to the movie, especially one as deeply burned into the psyche of much of the audience. Still, there have been many staged versions of The Wizard of Oz that have captured the magic of the film, including Wheelock’s acclaimed production in 2012. Unfortunately, this production falls short.
Unlike the 2012 Wheelock Wizard, which used the same script but included a full cast – with children comprising most of the ensemble (munchkins, winkies, flying monkeys etc.) – the nine actors in the current iteration are faced with the enormous task of playing not only double and triple roles, but also all of the ensemble parts. So despite the obvious talents of much of the cast (including stage veterans Gary Ng, Katie Anne Clark, David Jiles Jr., Lisa Kate Joyce, Liliane Klein, Tader Shipley – who filled in admirably for Krystal Hernandez as the Cowardly Lion – as well as relative newcomers Zachary D. McConnell and high school senior Maxwell Seelig), the lack of ensemble support detracts from the quality of the production in a myriad of ways. The actors rapid character/costume changes creates confusion (particularly for kids I’m guessing) as we try to keep the characters straight, and some of the scene changes and overall staging are clunky. A number of significant scenes lacked any dramatic tension, especially the pivotal scene the Wizard explains how Dorothy’s friends really do have brains, courage and heart, and Dorothy realizes she has always had the power to go home. Whether the choice to go with a minimal cast was driven by COVID issues or as a cost-saving measure is unknown, but the show suffers as a result.
Still, the show has a number of positives. Park, a 15-year old sophomore at Milton Academy, is a veteran of many Wheelock productions, but her assured performance of one of filmdom’s most beloved characters – which she made her own – was akin to a coming out party. This was evident right from the beginning, with her lovely rendition of “Over the Rainbow’’. The ensemble numbers were a highlight as well, especially “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” and “Merry Old Land of Oz”, and the aforementioned dance number, “Jitterbug” displayed the hoofing talents of the cast, particularly Park and McConnell. Lisa Kate Joyce’s work with a puppet Toto was both realistic and endearing. The set and props are minimal (no Yellow Brick Road?), in keeping with the stripped down theme, but leave a bit too much to the imagination. So while the results are uneven at best for adults, it should still be a hit with the kids during April vacation. For tickets and more information, go to: https://www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org/performances/2022-season/the-wizard-of-oz/
