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'Wizard of Oz' is enormous task
(by Herb Hammer - November 26, 2008)
THEATER, BY HERB HAMMER
'Wizard of Oz' is enormous task
There have been several adaptations of L. Frank Baum's book "The Wizard of Oz." The most highly regarded, of course, is the 1939 movie musical that starred Judy Garland.
The best stage adaptation of the movie is the one put together by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company in the mid-1980s. This particular production follows as closely as possible the classic 1939 film, a movie that everybody has surely seen at least once.
Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is presenting this particular version on its main stage. An enormous amount of effort has gone into this staging with mixed results.
The joy of hearing the exact words resurrected from the film will tickle any audience. As Dorothy, the tin woodsman, the scarecrow and the cowardly lion head for the Emerald City, one can almost feel the excitement.
The Greta Rothman-directed production is not without its problems. Scene changes are often clumsy, and the choreography by Pamela LaForce could have been left out. The kids do the best they can, but don't look for dancers.
The play, like the movie, starts with Dorothy, played wonderfully by Alex Marzullo, singing the classic "Over the Rainbow."
Soon after, the nasty Miss Gulch comes along on her bicycle with a court order to take Dorothy's dog, Toto, away, accusing the little dog of attacking her. The play brings in characters early who appear again in a much different form in Dorothy's dream.
The attempt to make the "cyclone" or "twister" isn't pulled off, but Miss Rothman keeps trying.
The stage is filled with Munchkins, who, again staying true to the movie, sing some of the lesser Harold Arlen-E.Y. Harburg songs.
When Paula Pike turns up as Glinda the Good Witch, you would swear you were watching Billie Burke from the movie. She's excellent.
Also excellent are Jace Craft, as the scarecrow, Guy Custer, as the tin woodsman, and the amazing Mark DePompei, as the cowardly lion.
When Dorothy and her three friends confront the Wizard to ask for their desires, the projections are rather frightening. Just as in the movie, the great and powerful Oz becomes the hollow-voiced great white head, demanding they bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West before he considers their wishes.
Laurel Bryant is just terrific as the Wicked Witch of the West. After scaring us out of our wits, she melts from the water tossed by Dorothy. It's a neat trick. Again, we remember the moment in the movie.
The songs are sung well, but you won't remember one called "The Jitterbug." It was cut before the film was released. The cutting of "The Jitterbug" would do nicely here too, for the number is hard to watch.
A tremendous effort has gone into this three-hour musical. Tara Holman's costumes are right on, and Edmond Wolff has worked his own magic designing the sets.
"The Wizard of Oz" is a difficult undertaking. And the way it's done here, warts and all, makes you want to run out and rent the DVD.
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