Time, talent, energy, more talent, vision – all those and more are necessary to the production of a successful musical. It matters not whether it’s a professional company or a community theater group. But to mess with an icon of musical theater… now that takes an additional ingredient: gumption.
For generations, the quintessential musical for ‘kids of all ages’ (as they say) has been “The Wizard of Oz.” Not only did some of us grow up reading L. Frank Baum’s Oz books – our friend Gordon read all fourteen of them – but since 1939 almost all of us have seen the movie… many times. Over and over again we’ve skipped down that yellow brick road with Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, and Frank Morgan and quaked in our theater seats over the deliciously wicked Margaret Hamilton.
So who would be so daring as to cast local actors in those roles? To say nothing of finding suitable munchkins? And creating a tornado? And a hot air balloon that breaks its moorings? And someone to play Toto?
PAPA, that’s who! Peninsula Association of Performing Artists, that’s who! Under the imaginative and exacting direction of Barbara Poulshock, an ensemble of amazing performers has brought to life those characters we all know so well.
We went last night with a bit of fear and trepidation. It was hard to imagine anyone in those roles other than the actors we grew up with in the beloved MGM movie. But, from the get-go my ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ kicked in and Hope Bellinger WAS Dorothy. Right down to her blue gingham pinafore and her red ruby slippers.
She was fabulous! Not only her singing (and when did her voice gain all that power, anyway?) but her acting, as well. Not overstated. Not understated. I found myself worrying right along with her about getting back to Auntie Em and felt a great ache when she finally bade her companions ‘goodbye.’ And, judging by the reactions of those around me, she took the entire audience on that journey with her.
I couldn’t help but reflect on what I was offering the world the summer after my freshman year in high school. Not much. And here was Hope, leading a cast of enthusiastic and unbelievably believable characters from Kansas to Oz and back again!
Nor did the other characters disappoint. Mike Tuell as the Scarecrow was suitably boneless; Richard Babikoff, the Tin Woodsman, rusted solid and unrusted on cue; Stephen Grote charmed us with his alternate quaking and roaring; Larkin Stentz was the totally believable as the kindly, bumbling and bombastic wizard.
And then there was Cindy Flood, the quintessential Wicked Witch of the West – who actually did a perfect cartwheel across the stage, not to mention whizzing through the audience on her bike and amazing us time and time again with her hair-raising cackle!
I commend PAPA for undertaking such an iconic musical. The first goal in the group’s Mission Statement is: “To produce family friendly theatrical productions for the entertainment and cultural development of the community.” Done!
Amazed at how much cultural life folks get into in your neck of the woods. Not a sleepy village.