Past Reviews

Regional Reviews: Phoenix

The Wizard of Oz
Don Bluth Front Row Theatre

Also see Gil's reviews of SpellBound!, A Year with Frog and Toad, 4 Girls 4, Little Women


Gary Caswell, Rick Davis, Emily McAtee,
and Allie Angus

As probably the most loved family movie ever made, it's not surprising that five different theatre companies across Phoenix are presenting stage versions of The Wizard of Oz this month. Not only is it an instantly recognizable title, but the songs from the film are extremely well known and the characters are iconic. The production at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre has a more than capable cast to bring these characters to life and is a perfect musical outing for families as well as anyone who loves the film. While the limited scenic abilities of the Don Bluth space require a bit of imagination to make some of the fantasy elements come to life, there are several nifty and inventive creative choices, and the intimacy of the small space provides a unique way to experience the emotional connection of the story of Dorothy and her trip to Oz.

For those unfamiliar with the film or the L. Frank Baum series of books it is based on, the plot follows Dorothy Gale, a misunderstood young teenage girl in farmland Kansas who dreams of finding a place over the rainbow where she can belong. When a tornado comes along and whisks Dorothy, her dog Toto, and her house to the colorful land of Oz she finds it to be a most interesting place and has encounters with many strange and mostly friendly creatures. These include a scarecrow, a man made of tin, and a talking lion, as well as two witches, one lovely and sweet, the other ugly and horrible, and a wizard who is wonderful and nice. But even with all of these friendly creatures, all of whom resemble someone Dorothy knows from Kansas, and the magical and colorful land of Oz, Dorothy finds that she really wishes she could just go back home. The stage version includes all of the popular songs from the film score, written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, which include "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" and the Oscar-winning "Over the Rainbow."

Director Don Bluth has assembled a talented cast that are skilled in making these characters their own while at the same time paying homage to the well-known film portrayals. Emily McAtee has a charming, sweet disposition, making for a quite touching Dorothy. Just 17, McAtee also has the natural, youthful look for the part yet makes her voice slightly higher to appear even younger. Even though at the performance I attended she was under the weather, so her vocals weren't the best, it was evident that under normal circumstances she has the chops to make her songs soar.

The three men that Dorothy meets on her travels to Oz are all played by skilled actors, gifted in both the comic and dramatic requirements of their roles. Rick Davis' wide expressive eyes and confused looks and statements perfectly play into the fact that the Scarecrow doesn't have a brain. Davis also throws himself around the stage, hurling and flopping all over the place, just how a man made of straw would move. He is sweet, charming, and caring all at the same time and is perfectly endearing in the role. Derek Neumann's portrayal of the Tin Man is quite good, with an excellent singing voice and a soft-spoken disposition that works well. It is the least showy of the three parts, more of the straight man to both the Scarecrow and Lion, but Neumann still holds his own against the other two more comical roles, and instills the Tin Man with plenty of heart. Gary Caswell is a hoot as the Lion, adding in a few very funny ad libs, and occasionally breaking the fourth wall to have a personal connection with the audience, who loved every time that happened. He also does well in showing the weak and scared side of the Lion without resorting to making him a stereotypical "dandy" that so many other actors who have played this part fall into doing. It was refreshing not to see the Lion played that way. All three actors produce perfectly lovable creations.

As the two witches in the story, Virginia Olivieri and Stephanie Vlasich are both seamless in their portrayals. Olivieri is a gem as the Wicked Witch of the West, instilling both that role and her Kansas counterpart Almira Gultch with a deep sense of evil. While she is very scary, she somehow manages to not make either character so terrifying that it would frighten the younger audience members. Olivieri relishes her characters' evil ways with glee, and her portrayal is precise and focused as well as a perfect counterpoint to the comical characters scattered throughout the show. Vlasich brings the right amount of love and joy to the part of Glinda, the good witch. She also has a beautiful voice, which she gets to display in the reprise of "Over the Rainbow." Joe Bousard gives a solid portrayal of both Professor Marvel, the man whom Dorothy meets in Kansas, and the title character. He makes them each have unique qualities and plays the Wizard as a bumbling man, not quite sure of what he should be doing as the leader of this large land. In smaller parts, Allie Angus is perfectly lovable as Toto, and Steven Meythaler adds plenty of originality to the many ensemble parts he plays.

Director Bluth adds some nice creative touches throughout. While there are no real sets to speak of, except for a couple of panels and some smaller pieces, the beautiful cartoon backdrop that Bluth created portrays all of the characters in the play, and, since it is on display throughout the show, is a constant reminder of Dorothy's journey. I don't want to give away too many of the fun creative choices that Bluth made as they should be experienced live to get the full effect, so I'll be a bit vague in the rest of my directorial statements. Since there is no way to fully portray the tornado in such a small space, Bluth takes a more comical route by having the ensemble evoke the many well-known images from that moment in the film. Bluth also opts not to use small children as the Munchkins, the small people that Dorothy meets in Oz, going in a completely different direction that works perfectly. In addition to having the Kansas scenes portrayed, as in the film, in hues of black and white and the Oz scenes in color, Bluth also has Toto portrayed differently in each.

Corinne Hawkins' costumes are excellent, evoking the styles and designs familiar from the film, yet making them completely original. Her costumes for the two witches are exceptional. Carolyn Kinzie's make-up designs also provide nice touches for the characters. Curtis Watson's lighting adds plenty of green hues to the Oz moments.

Don Bluth's production of The Wizard of Oz features a very talented cast and some fun creative decisions that work well with a small cast in a small space. While the small space means some aspects of this show can't be fully realized, and requires the audience to use their imagination, the intimacy of the small theatre allows the classic story to come to life literally right in front of your eyes, in a fun and unique way.

The Wizard of Oz runs at the Don Bluth Front Row Theatre through May 30th, 2015. For more information on this production or to order tickets, go to www.donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com or call 480 314-0841.

Director: Don Bluth
Set Design: Don Bluth
Lighting Design: Curtis Watson
Sound Design: Roger McKay
Costume Designer: Corinne Hawkins
Makeup: Carolyn Kinzie
Props: Priscilla Bertling & Cheryl Schaar

Cast:
Dorothy: Emily McAtee
Toto: Allie Angus
Scarecrow: Rick Davis
Tin-Man: Derek Neumann
Lion: Gary Caswell
Ms. Gulch/Wicked Witch: Virginia Olivieri
Professor Marvel/Wizard: Joe Bousard*
Glinda: Stephanie Vlasich
Aunt Em: Lorraine Bousard
Uncle Henry: Tom Endicott
Ensemble: Frank Aaron, Jackson Colbrunn, Meredith Colbrunn, Jordan Davis, Maddie Kinzie, James Melita, Steven Meythaler, Sandra Foster Williams

*Member of Actors' Equity Association

--Gil Benbrook


Also see the Current Theatre Season Calendar for Phoenix