May 25, 26, 31, June 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 2003
Our 80th year production, The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, was dedicated to 50+ year Mountaineer/Player and life-long Oz enthusiast, Evie MacDonald. The Players last performed this fantastical show in 1966. Bringing this well-known show to this outdoor theater stage required creative teamwork. It was brilliantly directed again by Craig Schieber, choreographed by Guy Caridi, costumed by Mary Duckering, music directed by Ellen McLain, and set designed and built by Mark Jensen. Stacey Morigeau returned for her sixth consecutive show as stage manager extraordinaire.
With a cast of 47, ranging in age from 3 to 75, our costumer and her crew created a visually distinctive show moving from the dusty grays of Kansas to the brightly colored hues of the land of Oz. Luckily for the costumers’ budget, all the costumes were rented by a local high school for their fall production.
In place of special effects and camera tricks (available to the movie screen), Mountaineer ingenuity was called into play. The role of Toto (Dorothy’s dog) was convincingly played by eleven year old Daniel Baker, who operated a black terrier puppet controlled by two dowels. Daniel, inspired by his real life best friend, Harry (an abandoned stray puppy found at the theater during The Music Man in 2001), amused the audience with Toto’s realistic tail wagging, hotdog eating antics. Hours of rehearsal time were spent practicing the running, swirling and twirling choreography that was to be our Kansas tornado. The gray Kansas backdrop was danced off and back on the stage to the strains of stormy and complex music expertly played by Debbie Valenta and her piano student, Siri Lofall. Barb Baker painstakingly painted all of the gorgeously colored umbrellas used to create Munchkin land. Costumed residents of the Emerald City sold magical green glasses during intermission to facilitate the audiences arrival in the very green Emerald City. Much to our surprise, the glasses were so popular that we ran out during the last weekend. The producers, every cognizant of the bottom line, unwisely limited the number of glasses that were purchased before opening (oh ye of little faith!).
Craig Schieber, presented with the enormous talent of the Players at callbacks, double-cast the roles of Dorothy and the Wicked Witch. Dorothy was played by Jenny Estill and Anna Lindvall; the Wicked Witch by Brenda Mehl and Cheryl Phillips. All four actors also took chorus roles – double the work but also double the fun! Both casts got rave reviews! Aunt Em/Glinda (Gail Foster) and Uncle Henry/Emerald City Guard (Walt Foster) enjoyed participating in this show with their daughter Valerie who played both a munchkin and a monkey. Our cowardly lion was played to perfection by past music director, Stephen Wall (tenor with the Seattle Opera) who says this show was the highlight of his life. He tickled the audience during the final performance by holding one of his notes for 18 seconds. Ken Michels (Scarecrow) returned to the Mountaineer stage after a 16 year absence. The show so benefited from his remarkable physicality and delightful portrayal of the much-loved scarecrow. First time player, Jeffrey Rocco rounded out the threesome as the Tin Woodsman. Working with the double cast kept them all on their toes! 4529 attended this fabulous show.
