Cherry Avenue Presents The Wizard of Oz

In a first-time Musical Production at Cherry Avenue, sponsored by the PTA…

Elementary Students Perform The Wizard of Oz

We’ve all grown up on it. Who doesn’t know by heart the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland? It is the most familiar version (unlike other remakes, more recently The Wiz, Wicked, OZ the Great and Powerful) taken from the original story by Frank Baum. Generations of viewers can sing the songs and recite the famous lines.

So it makes perfect sense that The Wizard of Oz: The Youth Edition production trims the musical into the most manageable and memorable scenes for a new generation of young performers. And each of the Cherry Avenue students played their iconic parts awesomely, as if they were born to it!

From the perfectly plucky Dorothy, performed by Bridget Spreckels, to the lively Toto (Chloe Norman), the gracious Glinda (Casey Rosica), the humble Scarecrow (Ryan Walker), the melancholy Tin Man (Hunter Peralsky), the fraidy-cat Lion (Henry Reiss), the wickedly Wicked Witch (Kate D’Andrea), the great pretender Wizard–Mr. Marvel (Benjamin Richards), all were as wonderful as …now listen to the song lyrics…the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

Ancillary roles that just couldn’t be forgotten included Eliana Lee as Auntie Em, Joey Donovan as Uncle Henry, Rachel Frawley as Miss Gulch, and Zachary Sanges as the Doorman-Guard. With over a hundred players as either munchkins (K-2 students) or in the ensemble (see the program attached), audiences were absolutely charmed. After presenting exuberant characterizations and impersonations of the classic film, the Cherry Avenue performers brought the production home with the always touching reunion scene, reaffirming that "There's no place like home!"

Special kudos to Directors Miss Jackie and Miss Jess from The Production Over the Rainbow Theatre Company and their production staff for doing a magical job coordinating the cast and crew. And special thanks go to “The real Wizard” (to quote the program) Principal Dr. Lisa Ihne, PTA parent producers Mary Dolan and Kelly Darling, along with the PTA parent volunteers and student helpers whose tireless assistance contributed to a most successful PTA Fundraiser event.  The Cherry Avenue PTA was so encouraged by this first-time theatrical production, they are looking forward to staging another next year.