TO OZ - The Lion (Chris Mundy), Dorothy (Jordan Morris), Scarecrow (John Morris) and Tin Man (Nate Lundy) prepare to go to the Emerald City. - Courtesy photo by Janie Mundy

The Wiz is a Wiz if ever a Wiz there was
by Peggy Clarke

EAST TAWAS - As I settled into my seat Friday night at the East Tawas opening of Tawas Bay Players' production of "The Wizard of Oz", my first thought was, how can they possibly pull off such a big show on such a small stage?

With the use of clever two-sided props and several scene changes, the set designers answered my question. They took play watchers from the black and white familiar opening through the vividly colorful Land of Oz and back to Kansas. Each scene created simple images from the well-known movie without going over the top.
That daunting task of bringing a huge production to a small stage was accomplished with ease, or so it seemed to this viewer. The crew is to be commended for the hard work it took to build versatile props and the work it took to move them around all evening.

My second thought was, how would the Players ever get 62 cast members on that small stage? Fortunately, they were not all on stage at the same time until the finale. It did, however, get pretty cozy from time to time. Close proximity did not stop choreographer June Wygant from creating some dance routines, similar to the big screen version of "Oz" yet very achievable by the non-professionals and effective in the space available.

It was evident that the casting of characters was well thought out. The major roles involved people well suited to their parts.

Charlie Girl did a wonderful job as Toto. This is one well behaved little dog. "Toto" never missed a cue, never bolted from the stage or barked for unknown reasons. If anything, her costume was even cuter than the real "Toto."

Tom Erlenbaugh did a nice job as Uncle Henry and the Gate Keeper. I especially enjoyed his famous line: "Nobody sees the Wizard: not nobody, not no how!"

Pam Frank doesn't look old enough to play the part of Aunt-ie Em but, with the right hair and make-up, she was very believable in that role.

Michael Denney presented the roles of Professor Marvel and the Wizard in fine fashion. At first, he seemed too young for the parts but his delivery convinced me otherwise.

The roles of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion were played by John Morris, Nate Lundy and Chris Mundy, respectfully. Each of their parts had moments that reminded me of the movie roles at one point or another. It was hard not to compare them to the movie version.

Mundy wore a wonderful Lion costume and fiddled with his tail in much the same way that Bert Lahr did. He took a couple of awesome falls and his voice had hints of Lahr's inflection. His voice was in fact different and it kept reminding me that I was watching Mundy and his portrayal of the part.

Lundy created his own image of the Tin Man and didn't remind me of Jack Haley at all. He was a good Tin Man with an expressive face. He brought heart to the character without a heart.

Michael Denney presented the roles of Professor Marvel and the Wizard in fine fashion. At first, he seemed too young for the parts but his delivery convinced me otherwise.

The roles of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion were played by John Morris, Nate Lundy and Chris Mundy, respectfully. Each of their parts had moments that reminded me of the movie roles at one point or another. It was hard not to compare them to the movie version.

Mundy wore a wonderful Lion costume and fiddled with his tail in much the same way that Bert Lahr did. He took a couple of awesome falls and his voice had hints of Lahr's inflection. His voice was in fact different and it kept reminding me that I was watching Mundy and his portrayal of the part.

Lundy created his own image of the Tin Man and didn't remind me of Jack Haley at all. He was a good Tin Man with an expressive face. He brought heart to the character without a heart.

Morris was terrific as the Scarecrow. It was hard not to visualize Ray Bolger on the stage. His expressions, voice, inflection and actions were really good. He is so limber he looked like a rag doll up there. I can't imagine that he has recovered from the falls he took in "Cash on Delivery." He'll be weeks getting over these.

Glinda, played by Penny Zacharias, was graceful, elegant and pleased the audience with her lovely voice. Her costume was well put together, giving her the true appearance of a "good witch."

The original movie version of "The Wizard of Oz" was released on Jan. 1, 1939. Somewhere between 1949 and 1951, it was re-released. I was pretty young then when my parents took me to see the movie and spent most of it in the lobby because I was so frightened. Miss Gulch/the Wicked Witch did it then and would have done it Friday night had I been three or four years old again.

Jane Ruster's presentation of the Wicked Witch was truly awesome. Again, the costume designers are to be complimented. Her entire outfit, shoes to finger nails, was excellent. Her make-up was wonderful but, best of all, she WAS the witch. Her demeanor, voice and mannerisms nailed the part. She was as frightening as it gets.

Sometimes people are cast in parts and sometimes roles are made for people. The part of the Mayor of Munchkinland is just that. John Manning with his small stature and high-pitched voice could have played his character in the 1939 movie. He was splendid as the leader of the Munchkins.

And the Munchkins. Well, what can I say about them. They were adorable, all 24 of them. Standouts of course were the Lullaby League and the Lollipop Kids to mention a few. The costumes here were also very well done.

In a cast of thousands, well maybe only 62, I was entertained by everyone. The crows, the trees, the poppies, the army of Winkies and the monkeys all did exceptional jobs with their parts, no matter how small they may have been.

Now for the star of the show, Dorothy, the "small and meek." Young Jordan Morris showed professional qualities in her portrayal of Dorothy and her journey to get home. She expresses wonderful stage presence for her age. The stage is nothing new to Morris; she has been singing since she was five years old. My first contact with Morris came when she was involved with the Little Miss Iosco Pageant, where she astonished audiences with her singing abilities each time she competed. She is a talent waiting to be discovered.

If I had to find one fault with this production, it would be the sound. The orchestra, who did a commendable job, overshot the singers in some areas. I was in the front row and could hear everything, but I'm sure those further back had trouble hearing. Some of the speaking parts were hard to hear, especially when they were facing the back of the stage. I hope that all of the community support TBP receives will eventually allow for overhead microphones or other sound improvements.

Speaking of community support, I am told that "The Wizard of Oz" is sold out for all of the remaining performances. All I can recommend is that you go to the theatre and wait to see if someone doesn't show up. It would be worth your wait for a chance to see this show. Overall, it is an excellent production.

While you are in the lobby, you will notice the posters with pictures of this play. The photos were done by photographer Julie A. Emington of Studio B in East Tawas. The posters add to the professional air of the performance.