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Production History: The Wizard of Oz (2012)

Man in red vest and woman in blue costume posing in theater with empty chairs in background.

Semester Overview

The Wizard of Oz is a timeless tale, and everyone came into rehearsal with clear ideas about the story and the characters. During our first class in September, we asked everyone to take the stage to show us their favorite moment in this famous story, and tell us what they most wanted to do in the show (sing, dance, scene, monologue, etc.). We built the final show as a “highlight reel” or their suggestions, allowing everyone to share roles (we had 8 Dorothy’s, 2 Tin Men, and 3 Witches, amongst others). It has been so fun to watch our group play with this beloved story, and put their own spin on these well-known characters. Our classes were focused on the power of music to communicate and express feelings.

As always, our actors got a chance to play with multiple characters and worked together in short scenes. We also featured the ensemble working as a team with several group pieces: A movement piece creating “The Tornado”, a big group song and dance to “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”, and we closed the show with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” performed in American Sign Language. 

This semester also marked continued growth with 4 new actors, and a bigger rehearsal space courtesy of Christian Fellowship Church. 

 Guest Artists:

  • Choir director and musician Peter VanKempen led our music rehearsals
  • Sara Schuh joined us again (via Skype) to teach us ASL for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow
  • Northwestern Medill School of Journalism student Gabriel Cohen joined us for class and interviewed a few of our students for a radio piece about living with Down Syndrome. Click here to listen. 

Performance

December 15th & 16th, 2012 at Studio BE

Teen Drama Troupe

  • Colleen Altman
  • Quincy Bane
  • Marissa Bloodgood*
  • Rachel Buchanan
  • Jack Butler*
  • Alena Counter-Brown
  • Kathleen Daley
  • Andrew Kosnik
  • Emily Kwidzinski
  • Emily Lavin
  • Lucas Miezel*
  • Sam Petri
  • Sam Radinsky
  • Lucy Walsh*

Co-Directors

Mallory Schuh-Alcala & Katie Yohe

Musical Director & Narrator

Peter Van Kempen*

Choreographers

Kate Garwood* & Kendra Van Kempen

Facilitators

  • Amanda Averack*
  • Travis Gauchay
  • Lawrence Kern
  • Katie White

Dressers

Jess Fernandez* & Aislinn Gauchay*

Lighting and Sound Technician

Aaron Shapiro

Poster Design

Brandy Taylor of Graphic Sorbet

* = first semester with our ensemble

Two people posing on stage; one in a red vest, the other in a yellow lion costume.
Person in shiny metallic costume with pointed hat indoors, chairs and decorations behind.
Two people in playful animal ear hats, standing in a room with wood paneling and a red chair.
Two people in white tutus and fairy wings by a Christmas tree with festive decorations.
Person in scarecrow costume indoors with straw, overalls, plaid shirt, and large hat.
Person in blue checkered dress giving thumbs up in front of decorated Christmas tree.
Person in a lion costume standing in a room with chairs and wooden decor.
Person in metallic outfit and cone hat sitting among empty red chairs; another in green hat behind.
Three people in costumes with mouse-ear hats posing together indoors, in bright lighting.
Person in blue checkered dress with basket by Christmas tree indoors.
Person in a lion costume with mane, indoor wooden room, person near stacked chairs in background.
Two people in costumes indoors; one a witch, the other in gingham dress with a toy.
Individuals in costumes gather indoors, resembling a theatrical event or performance scene.
Three individuals stand indoors by a peace banner, one with a paper, involved in an activity.
A person in a blue dress holds it while another smiles with paper, in a rehearsal setting indoors.
People on stage in a church setting with religious banners and papers, possibly rehearsing.
Three people in a theater rehearsal with costumes, script, piano, and "GRACE" sign in background.
Young people dancing outdoors with a building in the background.
Group of people on a decorated platform outdoors, dressed for cool weather, near buildings and trees.
Person in red jacket seated, another drawing on arm, with colorful balloons outdoors.
People interacting in a room with high ceilings, wooden paneling, and large windows.
Group of people, adults and children, indoors celebrating with balloons and snacks on a table.

All summer long, we’re taking a look back at some of our past performances and celebrating the growth and development of our ensemble throughout the years. Next time, we’ll revisit another Shakespearean classic: The Taming of the Shrew!

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