PAGE 16 - INTER-COUNTY LEADER - NORTHERN CURRENTS, SECTION B - MARCH 18, 2009
Area youth stage "The Wizard of Oz" ST. CROIX FALLS – Festival Theatre has been teeming with community actors since mid-January when 85 children and adults came out to audition for the upcoming production of “The Wizard of Oz.” The cast is made up of 25 youth and three adults from ten communities in the St. Croix River Valley. “We’re really proud of this cast,” says Amy Klein, education director at Festival Theatre. “They’ve worked hard, learned a lot, and made a bunch of new friends. They are going to have a great time sharing this story with the community.” While L. Frank Baum’s famous novel has been adapted for film, cartoons, television, audio books, and several versions for the stage, many people may not be aware that the original book for children was published in 1900 with a stage play to follow in 1902. It wasn’t until 1939 that Hollywood made Judy Garland famous as Dorothy in a unique music and film collaboration. Festival Theatre’s production begins with an adaptation by R. Eugene Jackson (further adapted by Marilyn Mays following research into Baum’s original story) and tells the story of a young girl swept off her farm in Kansas during a cyclone. When she finds herself in the land of Oz, Dorothy encounters fascinating people (Munchkins and Winkies) and make friends with three characters who wish to appeal to the Wizard of Oz for important favors. When the Wizard orchestrates an encounter with the Wicked Witch of the West, who has enslaved the Winkies, Dorothy and crew are faced
Full Cast of “Wizard of Oz”… Front row (L to R): Ashley Johnson, Jasper Herman, Anja Erickson, Anna Klein, Nora Wondra, Dajonai Rohlf, Stephen Rice, Grace Klein, Eli Anderson, and Abigail Johnson. Second row (L to R): Palo Deconcini, Noah Neault, Truman Ader, Emma Wondra, Sophie Klein, McKenzie Fortier, Lexie Ferguson, Henry Klein, Dio Aluni, and Solomon Falls. Back row (L to R): Jeremy Richter, Treana Mayer, Mathew Rude, Hunter Teasley, Amanda Schulze, and Anthony Locken. Cast members missing from photo are: Mikayla Johnson and Janey Raven. – Photo submitted with becoming slaves themselves. Festival’s production places a unique local spin on the telling of the tale. The show will be performed in two acts and adults will surely enjoy the show as much as children do. Starring in the role of Dorothy are two young women who, along with the role of Toto, will split performance dates. Mikayla Johnson of North Branch and Ashley Johnson of Forest Lake, Minn., play Dorothy while Anja Erickson of Dresser and Anna Klein of St. Croix Falls bring eager Toto to life. The rest of the cast are: Noah Neault
from Centuria; Solomon Falls, and Hunter Teasley from Dresser; Amanda Schulze from Milltown; Abigail Johnson from North Branch, Minn.; McKenzie Fortier and Janey Raven from Osceola; Truman Ader, Dio Aluni, Eli Anderson, Palo Deconcini, Grace Klein, Henry Klein, Sophie Klein, Anthony Locken, Stephen Rice, Jeremy Richter, Mathew Rude, Emma Wondra, and Nora Wondra from St. Croix Falls; Dajonai Rohlf from Shafer, Minn.; Lexie Ferguson from Stacy, Minn.; and Jasper Herman and Treana Mayer from Taylors Falls, Minn. “The Wizard of Oz” is directed by Mari-
lyn Mays of Chisago City, Minn., and she is assisted by stage manager Justin Swanson from Cushing. Festival Theatre’s Youth and Family Theatre program offers theater arts training within the process of producing a play and has funding support from Polk Burnett Project Round-Up, the Margaret Rivers Fund, the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, the Andersen Foundation, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Corporate Support from the RiverBank and private donations. Public performances of “The Wizard of Oz” begin Friday, March 27, with a 7:30 p.m. show. Additional evening performances are March 28, and April 2 through 4. Three matinees will be offered at 2 p.m. on March 29, April 2 and the final performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 5. Single tickets are $13.50 for adults and $8.50 for youth. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.festivaltheatre.org, by phone or by visiting the box office. A limited number of matinees are available to school groups for field trips and reward days. A curriculum resource packet has been developed by the Arts Education department at Festival Theatre – the focus is character education. To learn more about opportunities for school groups, call Amy Klein at 715-483-3387 or check the Web site listed below. Festival Theatre is located in downtown St. Croix Falls, at 210 North Washington Street. To reach Festival Theatre by phone, call 715-483-3387 or 888-8876002. - submitted
"The Lion King" coming to Webster High School
Broadway version debuts March 27
by Carl Heidel WEBSTER - Webster High School continues its tradition of top-notch student musicals with a production of the Broadway version of “The Lion King” March 27-29. Performances begin in the high school cafetorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and preschoolers are free.
Simba, played by Jud Mosher, (L), and Scar, played by Jan Laepple, (R), prepare to do battle. – Photos by Carl Heidel
Chris Stoll, playing Rafiki, begins and ends the performance, in his role as the shaman.
Both familiar faces and newcomers fill the cast. Jan Laepple, German exchange student, plays the villain Scar, and facing him are the lions Mufasa – Jason Hendry, Young Simba – Alex Strang and Grown Simba – Jud Mosher. Chris Stoll plays the regal shaman Rafiki, and the two Flatten sisters, Emily (the youngest cast member) and Brittany, play Young Nala and Sarabi, respectively. Billie Ingalls plays the grown-up Nala. Danielle Formanek (Shenzi), Gabby
(Banzi) and Tessa Shiller (Ed) play the parts of hyenas, and Marcus Nelson is the lovable Pumbaa. Miranda Burger, Olivia Kopecky, Christina Becker, Ashley Clay and Brittany Flatten are the lioness chorus, with choreography developed by Clay and Flatten. Filling out the cast are Joey Erickson who plays Timon, and Olivia Main who is the brilliantly colored bird Zazu. The play is directed by Nancy Mendel with Julie Strang providing music on the piano.
Mufasa, played by Jason Hendry, (R), teaches the Young Simba, played by Alex Strang, (L), the importance of responsibility.
OCHF winter raffle a success OSCEOLA – Osceola Community Health Foundation’s first winter raffle proved successful as a fundraiser by raising $10,839 to support the foundation’s work. “The foundation will use these funds to support the health-related needs in our community,” said Sue Gerlach, foundation director.
The drawing was held at St. Croix Outdoors in St. Croix Falls, on March 1. Prizes were awarded as follows: • Grand-prize winner of the Ice Castle Fish House (valued at $7,500) was Bob Whittaker of St. Croix Falls; • First-prize winner of $1,000 was Tom Melkee, Lindstrom, Minn.; • Second-prize winner of a Browning
X-Bolt Rifle was Cathy Olson of Osceola; • Third-prize winner of $500 was Joshua Bjorke of Osceola; • Fourth-prize winner of an ice auger was Steve Schwartz of Little Canada, Minn. The success of the raffle was due to the generous support of Ice Castle Fish
Houses, which has donated a fish house to the foundation four years in a row, according to Gerlach. Larsen Auto and Motorsports, Osceola, and St. Croix Outdoors, St. Croix Falls, also donated prizes. St. Croix Outdoors hosted the drawing. - submitted