The Franklin School For The Performing Arts Presents THE WIZ 8/13, 8/14

The Wiz, winner of 7 Tony Awards including "Best Musical" and "Best Score," will be presented by the Franklin School for the Performing Arts SummerStage 2009 on Thursday, August 13 and Friday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium, 224 Oak Street in Franklin.
Based on L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" in which a little girl named Dorothy is abducted from her home by a Tornado and transported to the Land of Oz, The Wiz takes the classic fairy tale in an all-new direction with a modern rendition complimented by an exciting rock score. With music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown, The Wiz includes rock songs from its award-winning score such as "Ease on Down the Road," and "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News."

FSPA's all-student production of The Wiz features a talented cast of performing arts students from various local communities. The cast is led by Jacquie Hurley of North Attleboro as Dorothy, Dan Harcourt of Millville as the Scarecrow, Jill Gleason as the Tinman, Pat Dutton as the Lion, Meg Charbonnier as The Wiz, Catherine Weiss as Evillene, Galen Hancock as Aunt Em, Matt Duhamel as Uncle Henry, all from Franklin, Callie Liljeberg as Glinda and Corinne Falotico as Addaperle, both from Wrentham and Michael Egan of Hopkinton as The Gatekeeper and Lord High Underling. Other cast members include Bethany Komine and Erica McLaughlin of Medfield, Meg Harney and Samantha Vita of Mansfield, Emily Harrington and Sam Millette of Norfolk, Alexandria Hassan and Alessandra Vanaria of Hopkinton, Cassandra Riva of Plainville, Emily Smolinsky and Lindsay Tomas of Wrentham and Samantha Terranova of Medway.

Directed by Nick Paone, The Wiz includes vocal direction by Hallie Wetzell and choreography by Clyde Nantais and Kellie Stamp.

A younger cast of SummerStage students will present Wiz Kidz, an abbreviated version of The Wiz, on Friday, August 14 at 5:00 pm. This performance features Meg Harney of Mansfield as Dorothy, Alessandra Vanaria of Hopkinton as Aunt Em, Neil Pfizenmaier as Uncle Henry, Ali Funkhouser as Addaperle and Evillene, Graham Hancock as the Wiz, Emily Dutton as a Crow, all from Franklin, Emily Harrington of Norfolk as the Scarecrow, Georgina Shaw of Norfolk as a Crow, Emily Smolinsky of Wrentham as the Tinman, Samantha Vita of Mansfield as the Lion, and Bethany Komine of Medfield as Glinda . Other cast members from Franklin include Madison Asgeirsson, Kendra Dombroski, Jordan Jette, Julia Jette, Jocelyn Jones, Alexa Katsaros, Ted Katsaros, Catherine LeClair, Jenna McDermott, Shaina Mcgillis, Sarah Metras, Nicholas O'Toole, Nathan Wild and Caitlin Woodcock, Julia Barker from Mansfield, Amy Pinto of Medfield, Madeleine Williams of Medway, and Albie Giandomenico of Walpole.

Tickets are on sale now at the FSPA Box Office at 34Main Street in Franklin or by calling 508-528-8668. Tickets will also be available at the door. General seating for The Wiz is $18, students and seniors are $15.00, Tickets for Wiz Kidz are $15 for General seating, $12 for students and seniors.

Photo: Jill Gleason and Jacquie Hurley
Photo: Corrine Falotico and Jacquie Hurley

To post a comment, you must register and login.