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Regional Reviews: Florida - Southern The Wiz
The familiar cast of characters we have all come to know from The Wizard of Oz are here, and their quests remains the same. Destinee Rea is a tender-hearted Dorothy, and her comrades in arms are David Lamarr as a an ever-eager Scarecrow, Tyrick Wiltez Jones as an endearing Tinman, and Trevor Dion Nicholas as a Lion short on courage but not on personality. The supporting cast is filled out with Brenda Braxton as Glinda the glamorous Good Witch of the South, Badia Farha as Addaperle the sassy Good Witch of the North, Zonya Love as Evilene the temperamental Wicked Witch of the West, and Kingsley Leggs as the mysterious Wiz himself. The only thing missing is Toto! Artistic Director Andrew Kato has stepped in to direct this production, and he has filled the stage of the Maltz Theatre with a flurry of special effects via projections by Brad Peterson, creative puppetry by The Puppet Kitchen, flying monkeys and witches by ZFX, Inc., and sensational lighting by Paul Black. Though the story starts on a farm in Kansas, once Dorothy's house lands in Oz, the bold and gaudy costuming by Leon Dobkowski, wigs by Gerard Kelly, and scenic design by Paul Tate Depoo create a feel of what can only be called ghetto-fabulous. The jaunt of the ensemble as they prowl the stage, and the choreography by Jennifer Werner that is straight out of a '70s theme park, tell us that, indeed, we are not in Kansas anymore. Some production elements seem designed for children's theatre, such as the two-person operated Munchkin puppets, swirling houses lifted from the orchestra pit, and paper cut-out representations of the main characters on sticks. This is done with a straightforward lack of pretense oddly juxtaposed with the nearly overwhelming assortment of more modern technical elements such as billowing smoke and fog, the huge 3-D face of the Wizard, and many projection effects throughout the show. The twenty-four member cast is accompanied by a 10-piece orchestra led by music director Eric Alsford. The style of the music varies from R&B, to soul, gospel, funk and Motown, but all have a decidedly '70s feel. This is all performed and sung with a notable degree of clarity. At no time does vocal embellishment get in the way of understanding the lyrics, and Alsford maintains a tight balance between the cast and the orchestra. Jennifer Werner provides fairly interesting choreography, from portraying the winds of the tornado, to seductive poppies, to the stylized "Emerald City Ballet." She also has done a good job of partnering movement with puppetry, with the Munchkins in "He's The Wizard" and the crows in "I Was Born On The Day Before Yesterday." The script is not without its issues. While the first act indulges in more thorough-narrative and foreshadowing, the second act has some unexpected plot holes. The four main characters go straight from being picked up by flying monkeys to working for Eveline. We get barely any time at the castle before Dorothy throws the bucket of water when Eveline tries to "electrocute" the Lion. The show as a whole is admittedly dated, and in less capable hands could easily falter. Kato has invested the Maltz's time and financial resources in the best production value choices for the show, managing to honor the time period in which it was written rather than spoofing it. He wisely maintains the simple sentiment of the piece, so the image we are left with at the end of this production, regardless of all the special effects, is of Destinee Rea as Dorothy sweetly singing "Home," and the sultry sound of Brenda Braxton as Glinda singing "Believe In Yourself." The Wiz will be appearing at Maltz Jupiter Theatre through February 1, 2015. Maltz Jupiter Theatre is located at 1001 Indiantown Rd. (just off of A1A) in Jupiter, Florida. For tickets and complete information on the theatre's offerings, contact them by phone at 561/ 575-2223 or 800/ 445-1666, and online at www.jupitertheatre.org. Maltz Jupiter Theatre is a 550-seat, nonprofit, community-based Equity regional theatre belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, and the Florida Professional Theatre Association. This theatre employees both local and non-local Equity and non-union cast and crew members. Maltz Jupiter Theatre has become one of Florida's preeminent professional theatres, committed to production and education through its collaborations with local and national artists. Currently the state's largest award-winning regional theatre, the Theatre draws nearly 100,000 people annually, serves a subscription base of more than 7,611 and has world-class classroom facilities in support of its Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Performing Arts, which serves hundreds of youth and adults. The Theatre has earned numerous Carbonell Awards, South Florida's highest honor for artistic excellence, as well as the prestigious Bill Von Maurer Award for Theatrical Excellence. Cast: Crew: *Designates a member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. ^Designates a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union. +Designates member of the United Scenic Artists, a labor union and professional association of Designers, Artists and Craftspeople.
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