The Wiz!
Directed by Carolyn Latter
Musical Direction by John McPherson
Choreography by Leesa Crosbie
Book by William F. Brown
Music and Lyrics by Charlie Smalls
The words are jive, the songs upbeat. This fantastic version of Frank L Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" begins on a tumbledown farm in Kansas, where a tornado blows Dorothy to the land of Oz.
After celebrating the demise of the Wicked Witch of the East with the Munchkins, Dorothy departs for the Emerald city on a live yellow brick road. She encounters a hip Scarecrow who wants to join her because he feels he isn't going anywhere, an uptight Tin Man who needs Dorothy's help to hang loose again and a mama's boy Lion who has lost faith in the psychiatric help he's been getting - from an owl.
Together they seek help from the Great Man in the flashy city. They meet with the Wizard who agrees to grant all their wishes as a package deal – if they destroy Evillene the Wicked Witch of the West. They are captured by menacing winged monkeys then, luckily, Dorothy loses her cool...
Featuring:
Dorothy - Rebecca Griffiths
Scarecrow - Lauchlan Bain
Tinman - David Wallace
Cowardly lion - Chris Gerrish
Aunt Em - Kirsty MacDonald
Addaperle/Evillene - Sally Lansley
Glinda - Kylie Baker
The Wiz - Rod Vermeij
Ensemble:
Leesa Crosby
Katie Macuish
Melissa Clements
Dannielle Ashton
Dannielle Minnet
Kaitlin Latter
Callan Kneale
Ryan McNally
Andrew Dobosz
Rowan Mitchell
David Seman
Pit Singers:
Carolyn Latter
Gemma Sharpe
Andrew Gould
Chuck McComb
Last update: 28.5.2009