It has been a blast bringing the world of Oz to the stage. I shared with the class that this book has a special place in my heart and in my family tradition. My great grandfather read these books to my grandfather, who read them to my mother, who in turn read them to me. These books were published in the early 1900's and our prodution should reflect that. L. Frank Baum's fantasiful story was brought to life by the beautifully detailed and whimsical art of W.W. Denlow on intricate colored printed plates. I remember cherishing the the glimpse of magic that shone through the old bound books. This inspired how we brought the story to the stage. I wanted Denlow's illustrations to shine. Each page of the book brought magic into the world. So I challenged my designers to make beautiful paper props that paid homage to Denlow's iconic work, and I think they rose to the challenge. I also encouraged my actors to create these larger than life characters. This is a timeless story, with countless retellings. I wanted us to ground this play in the original work. This story tells us to trust our inner strength, and that trust will lead us to friends who will help get us home. Our ensemble can become anything to help Dorothy and her friends discover that truth. I think this was the perfect play to begin the season with; it was a big challenge, but a great one to bring a new ensemble together. Follow the Yellow Brick Road!
__________________ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS__________
Thank you so much to all our Broken Box Community! It took a lot of work to create these paper masterpieces. Thank you to the friends and family that came to our build day! We had parents, siblings, and friends all painting and creating!
Thank you to Mr. Anderson's Fabrication Class who created that incredible Oz Puppet! Thanks for helping the Wizard be wonderful!
Thank you to my partner in art, Mr. Rowland. You always know how to fix my stage pictures and make everything 100 times better!
Thank you to the MVLA School Board, The District, and our Wonderful Administrators for supporting the arts and help make this production possible. Thanks for keeping this program alive and helping it thrive!
