July 30, 2014
“The Wiz” Comes to Florissant
Recipes
11
Breakfast Makeovers with Bacon
Around Town
3
CMT’s Ten Toe Express
Dorothy, Emara Neymour; Scarecrow, Kevin Chris Minor; Cowardly Lion, Glenn Douglas; and Tin Man, Paul Herbert Pitts.
Photo by Larry Marsh
Hawthorne Players bring ‘The Wiz’ to Florissant By Shawn Clubb Fans of community theater have reason to rejoice. Favorite songs like Ease on Down the Road, Home, and Brand New Day will be coming to the stage when Hawthorne Players present The Wiz in early August at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. The Wiz is a modern retelling L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that has been infused with jazz, soul and African-American culture. Before the film version of The Wiz, starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, came out in 1978, the Broadway production in 1975 won seven Tony awards. “Many people haven’t seen The Wiz, surprisingly, or they’ve seen the movie. The theater production is very, very good,” said Nancy Crouse, director of the production. This will be the first time for Hawthorne Players to do The Wiz, but it’s not Crouse’s first time with the material. She directed a high school production of it in 1989. The idea to bring The Wiz to Florissant came to her after she directed Hawthorne Players production of August Wilson’s Fences in the 2012 season. The Players assembled a large cast of black actors for Fences. Crouse said she saw the potential for “an untapped talent pool for community theater.” “Last season, they asked for submissions for potential shows,” Crouse said. “I submitted The Wiz. The music was
good stuff in the ‘70s, it was in the ‘80s and it is today.” The cast for The Wiz includes a mix of actors new to Hawthorne Players and those who have been in previous productions, including Fences. Cast members who were in Fences include Kimmie Kidd, who will play Aunt Em and Glinda the Good Witch as well as being a pit singer; Darren R. Wilson Jr., who is in several roles in the ensemble including head flying monkey and the gate keeper; and Alanna Fenner and Breché Davalt, who also will serve in more than one ensemble role. Robert Doyle and Jessica Gillard will perform in ensemble roles after having done multiple shows with the Players. Paul Herbert Pitts, another returning Player, will be Tin Man. “It’s a nice mix of veteran people and new people,” Crouse said. “Our Dorothy, Emara Neymour, is just turning 16 as we’re rehearsing this show. She’s at the performing arts high school here in St. Louis. She’s a fine dancer as well as singer and actor.” Other performers include Glenn Douglas, who is from Memphis and new to the St. Louis area, in the role of the Lion; Kevin Minor, who recently played Horatio in Hamlet for St. Louis Shakespeare, as Scarecrow; and John Leggette, a St. Louis police officer, as The Wiz. “He’s one St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s finest, and he has an
outstanding voice,” Crouse said. “We have just amazing vocalists in this.” Other prominent roles include Selena Steed at Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West; and Renee Fenner as Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North. But, Crouse said, there are no small roles in this production. “Everybody is pretty much a part of Emerald City at some point,” she said. “If they’re in a small role, they’re probably in two or three of them — and sing and dance.” But the cast members might not be the See “THE WIZ” page 2
School
7
Free Breakfast and Lunch
Learn & Play
8
KEEN: Fitting In: It’s Not Easy...
The Purge: Anarchy Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures
Movie FREE Online Subscription at mycnews.com
9