UPDATED: Wizard of Oz Takes Flight

Originally published on Saturday, July 11. Updated for the July 15 newsletter.

***
Wizard of Oz takes flight on the stage at Regis College this month.

Weston Drama Workshop Director and Producer Chris Brindley is using ZFX Flying to bring new life to the classic musical.

Framingham High junior Jordana Kagan is Dorothy Gale searching for her way back home to Kansas.

Wellesley’s Ariel Gillooly is Almira Gulch/Wicked Witch.

On Tuesday, the two practiced for the first time with their harnesses, which allow them to fly.

Five crew members also learned the ropes, literally, as they pulled the two across the stage.

Kagan screamed for Auntie Em, as a tornado twisted across the stage, and she was lifted high in the air.

While she said she was scared at first, she took to flight easily.

Gillooly cackled as the Wicked Witch, while learning which position to hold the broom in flight.

Opening night of the production is Friday, July 17 at 8.

In all, Weston Drama Workshop, in its 53rd season, will stage five shows of the musical based on the MGM classic movie, first shown 75 years ago in 1939.

Other featured cast members are:

• Hank/ Scarecrow – Jacob Rosen
• Hickory/ Tin Man – Andrew Caira
• Zeke/ Lion – Tom Keefe
• Professor Chester Marvel/ The Wizard of Oz – Max Alagna
• Glinda, the Good Witch of the North – Paige Winn

This version of the musical contains all the beloved songs from the Oscar-winning 1939 movie score including “Over The Rainbow”, “Ding, Dong, The Witch Is Dead”, “If I Only Had A Brain”, and “We’re Off To See The Wizard”

The show also features a live dog as Toto.

The first dog cast as Toto didn’t work out, said Kagan,

She said the newer Toto is easier to work with and stays in the basket.

Other performances are Saturday, July 18, at 2 p.m.; Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m., Thursday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m.

The cast is comprised of middle school, high school, and college students from MetroWest. They have been rehearsing since early June.

The Weston Drama Company is staging four other productions this month, along with The Wizard of Oz.

Tickets are available for all five productions, which will be staged on the campus of Regis College in Weston.