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Follow the yellow brick road ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to celebrate 20 years of community theater by Josh Whitener josh@unioncountyweekly.com
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Audiences will travel via twister to a place somewhere over the rainbow, as Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts presents the biggest show in its 20-year history: “The Wizard of Oz.” The show debuts Friday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m. and will continue with multiple weekend performances through June 28. All shows take place at Fullwood Theater, part of the Matthews Community Center, located at 100 McDowell St. E. in downtown Matthews. With this year marking Matthews Playhouse’s 20th anniversary, June Bayless, the organization’s founder, wanted to do something bigger and better than ever before to celebrate two decades of bringing community theater to Matthews, Union County and surrounding areas. “Everyone knows (‘The Wizard of Oz’) – it’s a huge show, one of the biggest we could do,” Bayless said. “We thought it would draw folks from all around. People know the title … and it spans across the ages. We have senior citizens who’ve already bought tickets, (as well as) families with kids.” The budget for “The Wizard of Oz” – $70,000 – is by far the largest of any show in Matthews Playhouse’s history, and will allow the theater to offer more extravagant entertainment than ever before, Bayless said. Brand-new special effects are on the docket, including flying and pyrotechnics, as well as a “yellow brick road” expanded into the audience seating area. The show will feature 200 costumes – including two (the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion) rented from the Madison Square Garden production. Thirty-nine human performers and one canine star – Willow, who will play the role of Toto – will take the stage. Cast members range in age from 5 years old to adults, and the show has offered families a chance to perform together. Marvin resident Vanessa Davis auditioned for the production at the urging of her 9-year-son, Jackson. After auditioning, Davis was cast as the iconic villain and Dorothy’s archenemy, the Wicked Witch of the West. She said it’s been fun playing the “bad part,” but it’s also been a challenge balancing her stage role as evil witch and her real-life role as doting mom. “I have to keep reminding myself what role I’m playing at certain times … it’s interesting going back and forth between mom and witch,” Davis said. “… Of course, being with my son has been the true highlight, but also being on stage with a new group. I’ve never performed with Matthews Playhouse, (and) everybody has been wonderful, extremely professional.” Jake Yara, who will play the Cowardly
Ellen Bailey and Winston Sims will play Dorothy and the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz.” Photo courtesy of Willa Folmer
Lion, will perform with his 9-year-old daughter, Shannon, and 7-year-old son, Kodi. The Mint Hill resident also said he auditioned because his kids wanted to perform in the show, and he’s enjoyed watching them blossom in their roles of Munchkins, Poppies and Ozians. “It’s a load of fun,” Yara said. “It’s neat to see them experiencing that kind of theater … to learn how to be part of the process. It’s cool to see them in rehearsals and how quickly they learn.” While “The Wizard of Oz” will stick closely to the classic film people know and love, Bayless said Matthews Playhouse will add a few new elements, with the most recognizable being “The Jitterbug” – a song and dance number that was shot for the 1939 film but ultimately deleted from the final cut. “The bugs are there to put a spell on Dorothy and her three friends, (and they) do it through tap-dancing,” Bayless said. South Charlotte resident Sophie Lamm will dance in “The Jitterbug” sequence. The 14-year-old Providence High School student is looking forward to bringing the additional element to the show. “I grew up watching the movie, too, so when we started choreographing that number (‘The Jitterbug’), it was exciting. We could kind of do whatever we want with that,” Sophie said. “No one’s ever seen it – it’s something that everyone will really enjoy.” Bayless also gave props to the canine performer. Willow, is a rescue dog belonding to the show’s stage manager and Bayless said the four-legged star has exceeded her expectations. “He’s better than I could have ever imagined,” she said. “He is perfect. I did not expect this much from him.” In addition to the scheduled performances, a Breakfast with the Characters is slated for Saturday, June 13, at 11 a.m. Tickets cost $10. Matthews Playhouse also will host “There’s No Place Like Home,” a familyfriendly 20th anniversary celebration featuring carnival games, free giveaways, arts and crafts, food, raffle prizes, face painting, pictures with the cast and more. The event, scheduled for June 27, a Saturday, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., costs $5 for children and is free for adults; however, adults still need to obtain a ticket. Tickets for all events are available at www.matthewsplayhouse.com. www.unioncountyweekly.com