Review: Creative Cauldron Soars Down Yellow Brick Road for Magical WIZARD OF OZ in Falls Church

The beloved children's classic and vintage film musical THE WIZARD OF OZ has been enthralling audiences for decades. Creative Cauldron is doing its part to keep the magic of L. Frank Baum's story and the tuneful adaptation we all know and love alive with a magical production that puts a spell over the audience and transports them with imagination and heartfelt performances.

If you have never been - or even been - to Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, this is reason enough to trek over to Maple Street to enjoy a visit with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, Miss Gulch, the farmhands, and not to mention the denizens from the lands "over the rainbow" the Munchkins, the Winkies, the flying monkeys, some enchanted traveling companions, and, of course, the green-skinned witch.

Having seen small cast musicals and cabaret performances at the more than intimate Creative Cauldron, my curiosity peaked at thinking about the stage version of THE WIZARD OF OZ fitting into the tiny venue. Such a show is a staple of community theater and schools, usually filling large stages with a large cast. This would be a bit of a stretch, I thought, for this theatre, known for innovative new works and unique takes on existing pieces.

I needn't have worried. Living up to their name, Creative Cauldron's production team of director Matt Conner and musical director Iyona Blake have pulled a hat-trick of ingenuity and made the show work like gangbusters in the small space. With a cast of game adults and up-and-coming youth performers, Conner and Blake have adjusted to the venue and poured on even more creativity to make the show soar to Oz. Along with Riki Kim's kaleidoscopic and stylized projections, Margie Jervis' scenic design allows for instant location changes, aided with the skillful lighting by Lynn Joslin. Conner also uses the entire stage and the surrounding spaces to create an immersive experience for the audience. There were times when I felt like if I had stepped into the lobby, I might have found myself in the Wizard's chamber. Jervis also designed the whimsical and effective costumes including new variations on various characters.

The cast is uniformly excellent, starting with the charming performance of Tiara Whaley as the innocent and wide-eyed Dorothy. She projects the exuberance and zest for life outside her dusty farm home with pluck. Whaley makes the the character's songs her own, including "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Supporting Dorothy, the trio of Willie Garner, Harv Lester and Alan Naylor take on the scene-stealing roles made famous by Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Ray Bolger, respectively. Garner gives the Tin Man a sense of longing for human connection, while Naylor has the affability and rubber limbs to make a perfect Scarecrow. Lester, as the Cowardly Lion, puts his own spin on the scaredy cat and elicits huge laughter with just a pout.

Pulling double-duty as both Miss Gulch, the Kansas busybody and Oz's Wicked Witch, Laura Connors Hull steps out of her usual role as producing director and onstage for a bit of scene-chewing fun. Her Witch, especially, is a kid-pleasing turn, complete with the requisite cackles and asides to the audience.

Iyona Blake, along with her skillful musical direction, is a no-nonsense Auntie Em, and strikingly and operatic Glinda the Good Witch - complete with Wagnerian inspired costume. As Dorothy's uncle Henry and the Oz-ian guard, Jim Lynch makes a welcome appearance, as well. Longtime Creative Cauldron performer E. Augustus Knapp makes the most of his dual roles as Professor Marvel the huckster fortune teller and in the title role.

As is customary at Creative Cauldron, young performers are also included and here they make their mark as a finely tuned ensemble - helping change scenery, providing dance interludes, and taking on a variety of memorable characters. James Durham (Munchkin mayor), Talia Cutler (coroner), Arianna Vargas (barrister) step out from the ensemble to utter famous lines we remember from the 1939 movie. Changing from Munchkins, to crows, to the citizens of Oz, the Flying Monkeys, and the kinetic Jitterbugs, the youthful performers bring energy and focus to their performances that is beyond their years.

The other reason for attending this production, by my estimation, is to see and hear this particular adaptation of the film and story. Commissioned and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Festival - yes "the" RSC - in 1987, the book of the musical was given a polishing by John Kane, an actor and playwright associated with the RSC. I would say there is a bit more meat on the bones of the story in this version and it was refreshing to hear both lines I remembered from the movie and new twists to add humor and additional character development.

Of course the wonderful Harold Arlen score and sparkling lyrics by "Yip" Harburg are intact and will delight fans of the show new and old.

This show only plays for a few more weeks and once word gets out, I think people will be clicking their heels three times and saying "There's no place like Creative Cauldron" for a crowd-pleasing, entertaining production of an old favorite.

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Follow Jeff Walker on Twitter - @jeffwalker66

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THE WIZARD OF OZ

By L. Frank Baum

Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg - Background music by Herbert Stothart

Directed by Matt Conner - Musical Direction by Iyona Blake

Produced by Creative Cauldron - 410 S Maple Avenue - Falls Church, VA 22046

Through June 25, 2017

Two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.

For tickets, call 703-436-9948 or go to Creative Cauldron: THE WIZARD OF OZ

PHOTOS: (Top) Alan Naylor, Willie Garner, and Tiara Whaley with trees; (Middle) Alan Naylor and Tiara Whaley with crows; (Bottom) Laura Connors Hull

PHOTO CREDITS: Keith Waters, Kx Photography

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