School production begins May 1
By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
The spring musical for the Christ the King players this year will be “Oz,” based on L. Frank Baum’s classic story.
”We chose ‘Oz’ as it is the 75th anniversary of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ so we chose a different version of the Oz story,” said director Maria Stadtmueller.
Christ the King Drama performed this version of “Oz” 14 years ago and the last set of characters who performed it are graduating from high school this year.
”We thought it was a good time to do it again as none of the same people are there. It was the first show we did at Christ the King 14 years ago, then there was a break and this is our sixth consecutive year,” she said. Ms. Stadtmueller was the assistant director at that time and this is the first time she is “taking a crack at it” herself, she said.
Children and adults will be familiar with the story of how Dorothy and Toto are carried by a cyclone to the magical land of Oz, inhabited by Munchkins, and how Dorothy and Toto are joined by the rubber-legged scarecrow, the cowardly lion and tin woodsman on a journey to meet the great Oz. On their trek, they battle the Wicked Witch of the West, who is determined to get revenge for the death of her sister.
The musical is charged with a bundle of songs and thrills such as the escape from the Fighting Trees and encountering the enchanted poppies. Eventually, Glinda the Good Witch helps Dorothy defeat the evil witch and her winged monkeys. The great and powerful wizard grants Dorothy’s friends their wishes and of course, helps Dorothy return to Kansas.
The production has all the same characters and a few others that people may not be familiar with from the MGM movie version, but it stays close to the book. Munchkin Land is blue, Emerald City is green, the slippers are silver instead of the movie’s ruby red. The poppies are yellow instead of red and the music has more of a hip-hop, jazzy beat with more pop.
”We tried to keep it as close to the book as possible as this script is as close to the book as it can be. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is my all-time favorite movie so for me personally it is terrific.
”Since the story is the same but the music is all different no one is going to say she sang ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ pretty well. We don’t have any one competing with what Judy Garland sang. That is helpful for us at this age,” Ms, Stadtmueller said.
The cast has been practicing since the second week of January after auditions in December. The cast had a little longer time to rehearse as the Easter break was later this year.
The cast includes Rosie Burns as Dorothy; Katie Shubiak as Toto; Todd Peterson as munchkin Boq; Grace Benge as munchkin Loq; Mika DeWet as Glinda the Good; Madison Vitale as the Wicked Witch; Samantha Snell as the Scarecrow; Jackie Velona as Tin Woodsman; Becky Rezac as Cowardly Lion; Madison Kozlowski as the China Princess; Anthony Russo as Guardian of the Gates No. 1; Alexandra Nowak as Guardian of the Gates No. 2; Katie Huener as Oz; David Navia as Winged Monkey No. 1 and Kimmie Adams is Aunt Em.
There are also Munchkins, Oz citizens and poppies played by students from pre-kindergarten through third grade — Marin Camilo, Helena Centolanza, Rebecca Lachac, Madison Lachac, Emily Barrantes, Keira Kruchowy, Quinlan Miller, Savannah Horincowich, Karlina Matejczyic, Nicholas Heuner, Marissa LoMedico, Meghan Hanlon, Samantha Hanlon. Alex Russo, Brent Colinary, Isabella Valverde, Taylor Sniscak, Veronica Russo and Rowen DeWet.
The show performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, in the Christ the King School auditorium. A special performance for senior citizens will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at 7 p.m. Admission is free but donations will be greatly appreciated.
”The kids are thrilled and they were so excited when we announced it and the rehearsals have been going well,” said Ms. Stadtmueller.

