Everyone from seniors to little Munchkins knows the story of The Wizard of Oz.
Familiarity is the reason Chemainus Secondary School selected the classic tale for its main drama production, running Wednesday, June 6 and Thursday, June 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s Multi-Purpose Room. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors, available at the door or at the school during lunchtime.
Dress rehearsals are being held after school June 1 and 4 to give the students a chance to put the finishing touches on the production.
“I wanted to do something students would enjoy that they’re familiar with and the audience was familiar with,” said Chemainus Secondary band/drama teacher Siobhan Anderson.
Rehearsals started just after spring break at the end of March for the drama students in Grades 9 through 12.
“We did auditions for the roles,” Anderson noted. “It worked out most people got their first, if not second choice.”
The students in the cast, along with the behind-the-scenes lighting, stage and set design crew, are getting into the final stages of preparations.
”It is coming together,” said Anderson. “It’s crunch time and we’re all putting in long hours to get it ready.”
A unique touch is the inclusion of a dozen very eager and enthusiastic Grade 3 and 4 boys and girls from Chemainus Elementary School to play the roles of the Munchkins.
“They pick up on everything so quickly,” praised Anderson.
Grade 12 student Megan Rhode is playing the iconic role of Dorothy.
“I’m really glad I got the part,” she said during rehearsals last week. “Ever since I was a little kid, I was a huge fan of Dorothy.”
Rhode had some catching up to do after being off school for a whole month, but her experience to this stage is paying off. It will still be a whole different challenge for her as the show’s star.
“It’s a lot more pressure than I had last year when I played Frenchy in Grease,” she conceded.
Rhode really came into her own during her Grade 9 year as an all-around performer.
“I picked this because I’ve always been a huge fan of music and movies,” she noted.
After being put in dance “by accident” in Grade 9 at the school, “I’ve been in dance ever since and it’s one of my favourite things ever,” Rhode conceded.
She said the script for the Chemainus Secondary version of The Wizard stays true to the original, “except there’s a scene they cut from the original movie called The Jitterbug.
“It was supposed to be the biggest dance scene in the whole movie.”
The Jitterbug part, “it’s pretty good,” Rhode added. “It’s better than I thought it would be.”
You can definitely expect great things from Hannah DuMez in the performance as Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch, with her already considerable acting background and natural talent.
The other major roles in the cast include: Asa Sweet (Hunk/Scarecrow); Adam Hill (Hickory/Tin Man); Miriam Holmes (Zeke/Lion); Andrea Brooks (Aunt Em/Glinda); Sarah Funk (Uncle Henry/Guard) and Dyson Blitterswyk (Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz).
Assuming the minor roles are: Victoria McCauley (Winkie General); Cherish Winia (Mayor/Crow/Ozian/Winkie); Toby Deslauriers (Coroner/Ozian/Nikko); Danickah Pasanen (Barrister/Ozian/Winkie); Emma Wilson (Crow/Ozian/Flying Monkey); Austin Webb (Tree/Flying Monkey); Camille Storteboom (Tree/Ozian/Flying Monkey); Sydney Avon-Jaedicke (Tree/Ozian/Winkie); Nyah Healey (Ozian/Winkie); Samantha Phelps (Ozian/Winkie) and Amanda Untalan, Hannah Pachet, Claire Hardy, Kendall Smith, Fiona Grant and Cheyenne Oud (Ozians/Jitterbugs).
The Munchkins from Chemainus Elementary include: Carter Keswick, Joseph Wilson, Otis Birch, Koen de Wit, Blake Thomas, Arra Dahlgren, Callia Banks, Kelsey Allenby, Georgia Cochrane, Abby Knight, Amy and Ella.
