Review: The Wonderful WINTER PANTO 2016 Journeys to Oz

Winter Panto 2016: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Directed and Conceived by Matthew Woods, Written by Matthew Woods and The Ensemble, Costume Design by Cotton Talbot-Minkin, Lighting Design by Christopher Bocchiaro, Set Design by Christopher Bocchiaro & Matthew Woods, Set Construction by Cameron Cronin & Michael Underhill & Members of the Ensemble, Scenic Artistry by Megan F. Kinneen, Wardrobe Assistance by Andrea DiTullio; Stage Manager, Norma Heller; Production Managers, Deirdre Benson & Michael Underhill; Poster Graphic by Elizabeth Pearson & Jill Rogati

CAST (in order of appearance): Bob Mussett, Elizabeth Pearson, Kiki Samko, Sarah Gazdowicz, William Schuller, Molly Kimmerling, Amy Meyer, Michael Chodos, Cameron Cronin, Joey Pelletier, Matthew Woods, Noah Simes, Mikey DiLoreto, Michael Underhill, Libby Schap

Performances through January 30 by imaginary beasts at the Plaza Black Box Theater, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA; Box Office 617-933-8600 or www.bostontheatrescene.com

It's that time of year again, and I can't think of a better way to chase the post-holiday blues and January blahs than by taking in the imaginary beasts' annual winter panto, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Artistic Director Matthew Woods and company lead us on a journey to Oz with more twists than a twister, including a talking Toto, Auntie Em on testosterone, an anthropomorphized Yellow Brick Road, and a handful of characters who are new to the story. Be prepared to cheer for all that is good, right, and true, and bombard the villains with a chorus of "Boo, hiss, boo!" Most of all, prepare to have a very good time.

For the uninitiated, the panto (short for pantomime) is a centuries-old British theater tradition with its origins in the Commedia dell-arte. It features stock characters, pop culture references, bawdy jokes, and magical elements, and it relies heavily on audience participation (such as the aforementioned cheers and jeers). Woods is back with his 13th panto and has cultivated enough of a following that there is likely to be a large percentage of veteran panto fans in the audience who require little instruction and no encouragement to take part, providing the actors with much appreciated feedback. Besides the high entertainment level of the panto itself, one of the joys of sitting in the house is watching how much fun the troupe has in performing it.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz adheres to the traditional storyline, for the most part, except where it doesn't. As expected, Dorothy of Kansas (a spunky Sarah Gazdowicz) and Toto, too (adorably portrayed by William Schuller in face paint and a furry costume) are swept up by the twister and deposited in the Land of Oz, but they are accompanied by Auntie Em (Joey Pelletier) and she's the one who ends up wearing the ruby slippers. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Kiki Samko, pretty in pink) is announced by a whirl of bubbles and Don Ho singing, and she always shows up at the right time. Although the Wicked Witch of the East (Elizabeth Pearson) is remarkably resilient, her sister Momba, the Wicked Witch of the West (Woods) seeks to avenge her death and reclaim the sparkly shoes, with the assistance of her bumbling Captain of the Winkie Guard (Noah Simes) and the Winged Monkey (Mikey DiLoreto).

The Kansans are joined by the Scarecrow (Amy Meyer), the Tin Man (Michael Chodos), and the Cowardly Lion (Cameron Cronin), as they follow the Yellow Brick Road (Michael Underhill dressed from head to toe in yellow and black, evocative of a checkered cab) to meet the Wizard (imaginatively portrayed by a giant cutout head of a certain Supreme Court justice). The Royal Historian of Oz (Bob Mussett) and his protégé Scraps, the Patchwork Girl of Oz (a charming Molly Kimmerling) narrate the story and make sure that everything happens as it should, except when it doesn't. Somehow, the Nome King (puppet voiced and operated by Libby Schap) insinuates himself into the action, but eventually things get back on track with a precisely-staged, slow motion battle of good versus evil for the prize of the all-important broomstick.

The collaborative nature of the imaginary beasts means that all of the actors comfortably inhabit their characters because they have helped create them. Half of the cast play dual roles and successfully differentiate them, perhaps with the exception of Woods, who successfully maintains his creepiness as he transitions from nasty Miss Gulch into the wicked, green-faced Momba. You'll be disappointed if you expect to hear "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," but there are a few musical numbers, including an alternative Judy Garland song, a square dance, and a borrowed rock anthem sung by the citizens of the Emerald City. Chodos, Cronin, and Meyer get to strut their stuff and show off their pipes in a trio for the farmhands. The script contains up-to-the-minute political and cultural comments, likely to change from one performance to the next; occasionally someone flubs or ad libs a line, but a little bit of improv is not a bad thing in the hands of the beasts.

The Winter Panto would not be what it is without the talented designers who create the visual world of the play. Christopher Bocchiaro and Woods co-design the set which has a storybook feel, large doors opening to reveal the Kansas farm and the Land of Oz. Bocchiaro also serves as lighting designer, using different colors (green for the Emerald City) and changing brightness (darkness for the enchanted forest) to indicate locations. However, the pièce de résistance is IRNE Award-winner Cotton Talbot-Minkin's costume design. She makes Scraps look like a Raggedy Ann doll, makes Miss Gulch look like a cross between an undertaker and a school marm in mourning, and evokes the persona of the Tin Man with fabric, color, and a few well-placed hinges. Evil Momba gets a terrific dress and hat, the guard wears a long, gray coat and tall, furry hat, and the monkey sports a great pair of wings. Auntie Em wears the familiar blue-and-white check pinafore, while Dorothy looks like the farmer in overalls and work boots.

Winter Panto 2016: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is fun for all ages and a great way to introduce the kiddies to theater. It is a feast for the eyes, especially when you don the Emerald City protective glasses, and nobody balks when you talk back to the actors; they're more likely to balk if you don't. However, don't forget to turn off your phone or the Wicked Witch might stuff a mattress with you.

Photo credit: Diane Anton (Michael Chodos as the Tin Man, Amy Meyer as the Scarecrow, Cameron Cronin as the Lion, Sarah Gazdowicz as Dorothy Gale, William Schuller as Toto, Joey C. Pelletier as Auntie Em, Michael Underhill as The Yellow Brick Road)

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