Dare Shadow Players Bringing ‘Wizard of Oz’ to Stage
UPDATE: Due to the weather, this performance has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 13 at 6pm SUNDAY, FEB. 14 at 3pm.
The Dare County Shadow Players, under the direction of Donna L. Roark, will present The Wizard of Oz live on stage at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills this weekend.
This event is sponsored by Dare County Parks and Recreation is open to the public and guaranteed to be fun for all ages!
This classic tale is an adapted version and contains all of the songs from the classic motion picture, owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed by Warner Bros.
The cast of 40 plus student actors and crew members, ages 9-18, have been working twice a week since September, 2015. The story begins in Kansas, where life seems very plain and boring to Dorothy Gale, portrayed by Serena LePage. She dreams of faraway lands, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
Her guardians, Auntie Em, and Uncle Henry, played by Annabelle Lawrence and Alan Layton, are trying to care for her and run a farm with farmhands, Hickory, Hunk and Zeke, played by Bret Grebiner and Luke and Pierce LePage. Katie O’Neill plays Ms. Gulch, who threatens to take away Dorothy’s dog Toto, played by Anna Parsons.
When this happens, Dorothy and Toto runaway and meet Professor Marvel, portrayed by Quinn Ratti. He convinces Dorothy that Auntie Em needs her and sends her home just before a tornado hits the little town.
The tornado catapults Dorothy and Toto into Munchkinland, where they meet Glinda, the Good Witch, played by Susannah Edlund and the adorable munchkins, who are Parris Reap, Kayla Brown, Destiny Humphrey, Alex Litt, Joyner Drake, Malikye Naser, Sol LePage, James Rollason, Elijah Mitchell, Reese Homcy, Marija Frasca, Dorian Rotchford, and Stephanie Dudley.
Damon Horak, the Wicked Witch of the West, arrives in Munchkinland, only to discover that Dorothy’s house has landed on the Wicked Witch of the East and that Dorothy now poses the magical ruby red slippers. Dorothy is frightened and wants to go home. Glinda tells her to “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” played by Hannah Westphal to the land of Oz.
On their way, Dorothy and Toto meet the Tinman, Travis Lawrence; the Scarecrow, Grace Hook; and Jayde Bruff portrays the Cowardly Lion. Then they are “Off to See the Wizard”! On their way to Oz they encounter lots of interesting characters, including Jitterbugs played by Halle Blaisdell, Olivia Guns, Deborah Edlund, Dylan Custer, Paulina Goping, and Nadia Henley, and the gatekeeper to OZ, Jordan Daniels.
Even the makeup, lights, sound and spotlight are handled by members of the Dare County Shadow Players: Jeri Edlund, Kateland Caudill, Matt Williamson and Andrea Ramirez.
This is the Dare County Shadow Player’s 15th season and guaranteed to be a fun evening of children’s theatre.
Doors open at 5:30 pm this Friday, February 12 Sunday, February 14, at First Flight High School, on Veterans Drive in Kill Devils. and showtime is at 3pm.
Tickets are $5, available once the doors open at 2:30 this Friday.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ cast: (back row, left to right): Jeri Edlund, Luke LePage, Travis Lawrence, Annabelle Lawrence, Stephanie Dudley, Dylan Custer, Deborah Edlund, Olivia Guns, Alan Layton, Susannah Edlund, Katie O’Neill, Jordan Daniels, Jayde Bruff, Halle Blaisdell, and Serena LePage. Middle (L to R): Pierce LePage, Malikye Naser, Marija Frasca, Grace Hook, Damon Horak, and Anna Parsons. Kneeling (L to R): James Rollason, Kayla Brown, Elijah Mitchell, Reese Homcy, Nadia Henley, Destiny Humphrey, Parris Reap, Dorian Rotchford, Sol LePage, Joyner Drake, and Alex Litt. (front) Quinn Ratti. Not pictured: Bret Grebiner, Paulina Goping and Hannah Westphal.
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