Finding Oz in Yourself
“The Wizard of Oz” still holds relevance in our lives today. It’s more than just a whimsical tale; it’s a reflection of our journeys and struggles. Just like Dorothy, we often find ourselves longing for something more, searching for answers or a sense of belonging. The characters she encounters along the way represent different aspects of ourselves and the challenges we face. The Scarecrow reminds us that intelligence is not defined by knowledge alone, but by the wisdom we gain through experience. The Tin Man teaches us that true compassion and empathy are what make us truly human. And the Cowardly Lion reminds us that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the strength to face our fears head-on. In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming and uncertain, “The Wizard of Oz” reminds us to trust in ourselves, embrace our unique qualities, and find the strength to overcome obstacles. It’s a standing reminder that the power to create our destinies lies within us, just like it did for Dorothy.
Wizard of Oz
“The Wizard of Oz” is an enchanting tale that follows the adventures of Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas. After a tornado transports her to the magical land of Oz, Dorothy embarks on a journey to find the Wizard who can help her return home. Along the way, she befriends a Scarecrow searching for a brain, a Tin Man needing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion in pursuit of courage. Together, they face various challenges and encounter the Wicked Witch of the West, who seeks revenge on Dorothy for inadvertently causing her sister’s demise. With the help of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy learns the power of friendship, bravery, and the importance of believing in oneself. In the end, she discovers that the key to finding her way back home was within her all along. “The Wizard of Oz” is a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences of all ages with its whimsical characters and heartfelt message of self-discovery and homecoming.
Stageart: Coming Alive
In this musical, in particular, the cast and directors have decided to use ZFX to fly some characters around the stage. The cast has also teamed up with other classes/clubs around the school like the broadcasting class making videos to bring some scenes to life and the art class which has painted umbrellas. These special effects make the stage come alive and it will transfer the audience into a whole new world and a show that they will remember forever. Another fun thing this musical will have that is different from prior shows is that the 4th-grade elementary students will be making their debut as munchkins, six of them in particular earned themself special soles.
Musical Tunes
The songs in “The Wizard of Oz” are absolutely magical! They display many different genres that capture the audience while relatinging back to the musical. From the iconic “Over the Rainbow” to the lively “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” each song captures the spirit of the story. The musical features jazz and complicated major and minor harmonies that all add up to each other to make a great display of musical excellence. With the students singing backing vocals under the well known melodys adds another layer of complexity to the sound of the music. The music takes you on a journey filled with hope, friendship, and the power of dreams. It’s like a symphony of emotions that will leave you singing along and tapping your feet!
Stage Crew: The Unseen Stars
Stage crew is absolutely incredible and so essential to every production performed. They work tirelessly behind the scenes, ensuring everything runs smoothly and flawlessly. From setting up the elaborate sets to managing the lighting and sound cues, they bring the magic to life. Their attention to detail and problem-solving skills are truly remarkable. They are theater’s unsung heroes, ensuring every performance is a success. The dedication and teamwork they exhibit are truly amazing and I’m always in awe of their talent and hard work.
How are you feeling about being in “The Wizard of Oz” musical?
“I am very excited to perform as the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz”; it is one of the most iconic shows of all time and I am grateful to have the opportunity to perform this alongside so many amazing friends.” – Jack Dixion, Junor, playing the Scarecrow
What excites you the most about portraying your character in the musical?
“Playing Dorothy is so exciting because her story is so important to so many people. The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic that people of all ages have watched and enjoyed, and to be able to explore her character and make her my own while still staying true to who she is has been such a fun journey. I am absolutely thrilled, and I’m hoping that I do her justice.” – Sarah Hoffman, Senior, playing Dorthy
What aspects of “The Wizard of Oz” story do you find most captivating or relatable?
“I find captivating is the zany world of Oz, at one time you watch Dorothy in a colorful land with the Munchkins and a Good Witch named Glinda wants to help aid Dorothy on the adventure, then Dorothy meet a talking Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion, then in another scene you see her in the jolly land of the Emerald City, and then a forest that’s crawling with Jitterbugs and Flying Monkeys. Something about the story that I find relatable are the lessons that the characters learn from overcoming their problems. A scarecrow that teaches us to always be curious and to question and think, a Tinman who teaches us to love the world and people around us but also ourselves, and a Lion who teaches us to take the leap of faith and to have some courage in life!” – Nathan Shashura, Senor, playing the Lion
How has being part of the high school musical cast impacted your overall high school experience?
“Being in the high school theater group and getting to do musicals has been a pleasure. It really allows me to immerse myself into a group of people that are like me that enjoy being themself. I have met so many people through doing musicals and we always create such a family through the months of rehearsals. I believe doing the high school musical for me was one of my best ideas as now I feel so free and don’t let anybody bring me down because I know I’m better than that.” – Troy Manns, Sophomore, playing as a Snowman, a Winkies, and a Jitterbugs
Can you share any specific responsibilities you have as part of the stage crew for this musical?
“During the prop building phase, it’s all hands on deck. Every crew member helps with assembling sets, designing some props, and painting each piece. Every set piece is on a wagon if possible to allow the Run Crew to easily move it on and off stage. During Tech Week my job is to design lighting cues. We can set each individual light to the exact position/brightness/color to create the look for one scene. We can then switch between all the looks we created in as little as a second. The lighting team works alongside the sound team and spotlight to make each scene to the director’s liking. It is our responsibility to ensure each cue or lighting arrangement, is lit at the right time for the correct duration. We also manage court lights before and after the show for the audience. Our responsibility is to make sure the actors have everything they need to perform their best on and off stage.” – Autumn Blozowich, Sophomore, on Stage Crew
How do you think the stage crew contributes to the overall success and atmosphere of the musical?
“Stage crew does a lot to contribute to the success of not only the musical but every production we work on. The overall success of the musical is a clear three-way split. The stage crew builds the world, adds the sounds and lights, the cast brings life and emotions to the world, and the pit orchestra brings the music. The cast doesn’t play a larger role than the stage crew and the stage crew doesn’t play a larger role than the cast. It is our job to build the world, adding light and sound, and it is the job of the cast to bring life and emotion to the world. The stage crew, dedicates so much time to creating that world. On top of the two hours, we dedicate every Monday and Wednesday and the two weeks leading up to the musical, it is not uncommon for us to dedicate even more time when we are asked. This can mean staying later than expected or coming in on a day that we weren’t scheduled to. We do all of this without hesitation because we love stage crew. Each member is unique and they all have something different to offer. I truly love getting to work with them and respect each of them.” – Luke Strosnider, Senior, Stage Manager for Stage Crew
Show Dates, Times, and Where:
March 1st, 2024 @ 7 pm
March 2nd, 2024 @ 7 pm
March 3rd, 2024 @ 2 pm
The musical is being performed at the Greater Latrobe Senior High Auditorium.
Ticket Info:
$18 – adults
$15 – students & senior citizens
There will also be a meet and greet for kids 10 and under to meet some of the main characters on March 3rd from 12-1! These tickets are sold separately online for $7 a piece.
Show tickets can be purchased at the door, or they can be purchased online at latrobedramaclub.com.
Cast List & Roles:
Dorothy- Sarah Hoffman Glinda- Abby Wolfgang Scarecrow- Jack Dixon
Lion- Nathan Shashura Tin-man- Landon Shine Witch- Marie Patterson
Auntie Em- Maddie Duda Oz/Professor- Henry Krom Uncle Henry- Ben Fearer
Mayor- Conner Spiller Coroner- Grace Jamieson Barrister- Evan Frescura
Core dancers: Jianna Kacz, Lexi Lynch, Sophia Buluva, Gia Angelicchio, Gia Petrazio
Extra Dancers: Sadie Bridge, Mimi Fridg, Mia Stoneking, Sage Brant
Ozians: Full cast
Beauticians Group 1: Maddie Duda, Jianna Kacz, Izzy Keslar
Beauticians Group 2: Lucy Rodel, Abby Rafferty, Sophia Bulava
Ozian boys: Noah Dixon, Ben Fearer, Leo Sun
Munchkins: Sadie Bridge, Gia Petrazio, Katie Snyder, Grace Jamieson, Margaret Krom, Sierra Lyons, Shaelin Wiley, Heli Patel, Mimi Fridg, Ava George, Layla Klosky, Alana Brown, Stacey O’Conner, Elise Wolfgang, Lexi Lynch, Josh Sterrett, Jacob Leonard, Ciara Eachus, Nataly Smyntek, Zoey Wilders, Zoe Reed, Rylei Mears, Ben Ament, Evan Frescura, Conner Spiller, Logan Luhovey , Jack Duda, Ellie McDonald, Mia Stoneking
2 Teachers: Jack Duda, Ben Ament
3 City Mothers: Sierra Lyons, Shaelin Wiley, Elise Wolfgang
Lollipop League- elementary kids
Lullaby League– elementary kids
Crows: Stephen Foss, Jacob Miller, Ben Fearer, Lukas Deemer
Trees: Maddie Duda, Izzy Keslar, Jianna Kacz, Lexi Lynch
Monkeys: Maddie Duda (Nikko), Izzy Keslar (2nd flying monkey), Josh Sterrett, Jacob Leonard, Jack Duda, Ben Ament, Lukas Deemer, Evan Frescura
Winkies: Leo Sun- General, Kyle Kemerer, Jacob Harris, Logan Luhovey, Troy Manns, Sage Brant, Dalton King, Jacob Miller, Boston Soluri, Mason Demsey, Stephen Foss, Noah Dixon, Conner Spiller
Girls Chorus: Katie Snyder, Sierra Lyons, Shae Wiley, Margaret Krom , Lucy Rodell, Karlee Clark, Elise Ruggery, Maddie Bellissimo,Elise Wolfgang, Izzy Keslar, Abby Rafferty, Grace Jamieson, Sophia Bulava, Jianna Kaczmarkiewicz, Maddie Duda, Marie Patterson
Poppies: Katie Snyder, Sierra Lyons, Shae Wiley, Margaret Krom , Lucy Rodell, Karlee Clark, Elise Ruggery, Maddie Bellissimo, Elise Wolfgang, Izzy Keslar, Abby Rafferty, Grace Jamieson, Sara Fry, Sarah Balega
Snowflakes: Sophia Bulava, Lexi Lynch, Jianna Kacz, Gia Petrazzio, Gia Angelicchio
Snowmen:Boston Soluri, Lukas Deemer, Ben Fearer, Troy Manns, Jacob Miller, Noah Dixon, Kyle Kemerer, Henry Krom, Leo Sun
Solo Jitterbug: Jhianna Kaczmarkiewicz
Jitterbug core dancers: Lexi Lynch, Sophia Buluva, Gia Angelicchio, Gia Petrazio
Jitterbugs: Sadie Bridge, Mimi Fridg, Ellie McDonald, Mia Stoneking, Sage Brant, Mason Demspey, Noah Dixon, Jacob Harris, Kyle Kemerer, Dalton King, Jacob Miller, Troy Manns, Boston Soluri, Leo Sun, Ben Fearer, Henry Krom, Sarah Balega, Maddie Bellissimo, Karlee Clark, Ciara Eachus, Alana Brown, Sara Fry, Ava George, Layla Klosky, Rylei Mears, Stacy O’Connor, Heli Patel, Abigail Rafferty, Lucy Rodel, Elise Ruggery, Nataly Smyntek, Zoe Reed, Zoey Wilders
Stage Crew: Angeline Schaefer, Wren Puskar, Madeline Bellissima, Conner Benyo, Sophia Bisher, Brooks Conway, Mason Dempsey, Jacob Miller, Ryan LeBlanc, Angeline Schafer, Luke Strosnider, Autumn Blozowich, Julia Zhu, Sierra Lyons, Kate Miller, Derek Scheller, Kelsey McClellan, Kaylee Androstic, Ava George, Kate Larson, Charlotte Shaffer, Dylan Shirley
