BWW Reviews: THE WIZARD OF OZ - A Perfect Homage to Childhood Memories

I need to begin this article by saying, that Kayla Brodnicki, who played strong willed, yet winsome Dorothy, has a strong voice, great timing, and strong acting chops, and with a bit of experience, I can easily imagine her on a Broadway stage. Her, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, was a bit tentative. Don't get me wrong, Kayla sang it beautifully, but a lighting glitch, threw off the mood, and she seemed to hold back at a time when she could have really shined. This is understandable, since it was the first performance in front of patrons who actually paid to see her. I have heard several actresses sing, Defying Gravity, at both the Gershwin, and the Majestic, and I foresee, with the proper vocal training, Kayla may someday, play THAT, coveted role. My advice to Kayla is, ignore technical difficulties in the show, and JUST SING, do NOT hold back.

The Kansas storyline at the beginning of the show, gave an adequate depiction, and did a great job of setting up the classic story.

The children in the show delivered a sweet munchkinland sequence, with just the right amount of cuteness. The Mayor of Munchkinland, was the most delightful I have seen, and I can see why she was chosen for the role. The older girls who portrayed Munchkinland citizens, although not as endearing as the Lullaby League, and Lollipop Guild, were great dancers and proved the younger members of the ensemble worked hard and took their roles seriously.

I have to say, the gentlemen who took on the roles of the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion, did not disappoint with their comedic timing.

Glinda was dazzling, and did a great job, and was also, a lovable, Auntie Em. Uncle Henry played a believable country bumpkin, and silly, Winky guard. The Wicked Witch of the West, gave a strong performance, although I feel she was more a cross between, WitchyPoo and Elvira, than the classic, villainous, Ozian Witch. There was nothing comedic about the green witch in the screen version, and it was a welcome, and less frightening portrayal, especially for the children in the audience. I remember as a child, the silver screen's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, was so frightening, that I did not want to see, or even hear her voice. This performance was easier on the eyes and psyche. She will be using the gruff, witch-like voice, for several performances, and not losing her voice, before its all said and done, will be a great feat.

The Apple trees were an unusual, yet superb twist, and kept the costume department from having actors prance around the stage, wearing fake trees.

The Emerald City folks were great dancers, but their costumes were disappointing, and overall, costuming was not what I expected, with missed opportunities in certain scenes.

I must mention, that the set was a remarkable choice for a community theater stage, because it was visually appealing, and the almost seamless set changes, added to the flow of the evening.

Special affects had some stand out moments, but at times, technical difficulties with both sound and visuals, marred what would have been an otherwise, magical evening. The exit and entrance of the Witch, the storm and twister, and the crash landing in Oz were outstanding visually, but issues with other aspects of the special affects, were not perfected enough, and hopefully, the production will work out the bugs. Understandably, it was the first night, and I have attended actual Broadway shows that experienced similar problems, so it is the tendency of the art form, where mistakes like these will happen.

The orchestra gave an outstanding performance, and set the tone of the evening, providing magical music, that was pleasant to the ears, and a joy to listen to.

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised while watching this production, and before I knew it, the Wizard took off in a hot air balloon, and I left the theater feeling as if I had spent a few hours in Oz. The Director certainly achieved her goal, of recreating her cherished, childhood memories. All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to advise parents to take their children to see this show, for it is an homage to their childhoods, and will create wonderful memories for their own children.

For more information, and ticket information: theplayhousesa.org

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