“We’re Headed to Meet the Wizard.” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” “The Witch Is Gone.” Chances are, upon encountering the song titles, you immediately started humming or singing the tunes from the timeless Judy Garland movie, “The Wizard of Oz,” adapted from the story by L. Frank Baum. In Antioch, a fresh PM&L Theatre rendition of the Royal Shakespeare Company adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” features these iconic songs and beloved characters (such as the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, and others), but it elevates the traditional narrative from the serious to the comical – a change that, for someone who appreciates humor like myself, is a delightful twist. If you catch this rendition of “Wizard” before it concludes on March 3, be prepared for a plethora of laughs.
If your theater space is limited – as is the case with PM&L, where each row on the main floor accommodates only six to ten audience members – staging a well-known production with multiple sets and special effects can pose challenges. Director Mark Audrain, producer Betsy Grindol, and the team have ingeniously embraced their spatial and budget constraints to evoke laughter, whether scripted or improvised.
Before delving into the alterations, let’s touch on what remains unchanged: the core of the storyline. Dorothy Gale (portrayed by Madison Hartman) still resides in Kansas, cherished by her Uncle Henry (Matthew Craig), Auntie Em (Sharon Price), and farmhands Hunk (Ki Kennedy), Hickory (Kevin Connerty), and Zeke (Chris Hagendorn). Her loyal companion is Toto, a dog despised by the ill-natured Almira Gulch (Justin Charles). When Miss Gulch confiscates Toto (depicted as a stuffed animal in the PM&L rendition) in a basket on her bicycle, Dorothy is heartbroken by the acquiescence of her relatives and friends. Following Toto’s escape from the basket (“Last time I buy anything from a charity bazaar,” mutters Miss Gulch), Dorothy flees home with her pet, only to return after being persuaded by a traveling showman, Professor Marvel (Jeff Harding), that her aunt might be in distress. As a tornado forces everyone on the farm into the storm cellar, Dorothy and Toto are whisked away to Munchkinland in the land of Oz. The fall of Dorothy’s farmhouse on the Wicked Witch of the East draws the wrath of the deceased witch’s sister, the Wicked Witch of the West (Charles). To find her way back to Kansas, the good witch Glinda (Price) advises Dorothy and Toto to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City and seek the assistance of the Wizard of Oz (Harding). Along the journey, Dorothy befriends three other inhabitants of Oz seeking the Wizard’s aid: the brainless Scarecrow (Kennedy), heartless Tinman (Connerty), and cowardly Lion (Hagendorn).
Noteworthy Adjustments in the PM&L Production:
- Utilization of overhead projector transparencies for a live marker-drawn “Surrender Dorothy” skywriting sign and various other scenes (including a tornado featuring silhouettes of a cow, Miss Gulch on her bike, and even a Waffle House sign).
- The Lion recounts a childhood memory where he was lifted by his father near an African cliff shortly after birth, accompanied by the opening notes of a song from a renowned Disney animated film and stage production.
- Unlike the diminutive actors in the movie, the Munchkinland residents in this rendition are not particularly short, but they all carry hand puppets to represent their shorter-stature characters.
- Toto, while in Oz, is portrayed by a silent adult male actor (Rick Schultz) whose ever-changing T-shirt references the rock band Toto. A humorous sight involves him entering with a box of Dunkin’ Donut Hole Treats humorously named Munchkins.
- Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion are portrayed as life-size puppets operated and voiced by Kennedy, Connerty, and Hagendorn.
- When an image of the Wizard is displayed to Dorothy and her companions, it features an unexpected character familiar to certain audiences rather than Harding’s face.
Observations on this intentionally campy and amusing production:
- Sitting beside a speaker playing recorded accompaniment, I occasionally struggled to hear the actors over the music, especially during segments set in early Kansas.
- With recorded accompaniment, the live singers lack a conductor to guide them. At one point, the initial word in “We’re Off to See the Wizard” lingered as they awaited the song recording to commence.
- When you embark on this journey to see the “Wizard,” pay close attention to uncover the witty lines, visual gags, and entertaining performances. Similar to what “Airplane” was to disaster films, this interpretation of “The Wizard of Oz” offers a lighthearted twist on the original 1939 movie. It promises a Toto-ly enjoyable experience.
- Paul Lockwood, a local theater actor, singer, member of Grace Lutheran Church (Woodstock) and Toastmasters, columnist, and former president of TownSquare Players, along with his wife, has been residents of Woodstock for over 23 years.
IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND
• WHAT:“The Wizard of Oz”
• WHERE: PM&L Theatre, 877 Main St., Antioch
• WHEN: Until March 3
• DETAILS: pmltheatre.com, 847-395-3055