First
of all, let’s be clear: It isn’t as good as the movie. Nothing is as good as
the original flick with Judy Garland as Dorothy and Margaret Hamilton as the
Wicked Witch of the West. That said, this touring production, with new music by
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, is a total delight and you should hop on the
nearest tornado and come see it.
There
are so many things this version of The Wizard of Oz
gets right, starting with the fact that Webber and Rice didn’t try to outshine the
classic songs written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Instead, they’ve added
sung-through moments at the start and end of both acts that help liven up the
narrative. And it all works amazingly well. In between, they have left most of
the familiar tunes we all want to hear, including “”We’re Off to See the
Wizard,” “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” and of course “Over the Rainbow.”
While
this is not one of the gargantuan travelling productions with tons of different
and complicated sets, director Jeremy Sams and the staging team have focused
their energies on the key moments, turning them into jaw-dropping events. The
tornado that whisks Dorothy and her little dog Toto away from Kansas is
actually sort of terrifying, conveyed by a projection in which all sorts of
stuff, including Dorothy’s house, is made airborne.
Just
as good is the projection used when the Witch’s flying monkeys take off,
soaring over the Oz landscape. Indeed, the two or three winged creatures that
actually show up on stage are the stuff of nightmares all by themselves. And
when the fearsome Wizard confronts Dorothy and her pals, his face is projected
in a chilling black and white negative image that is arresting.
The
cast is more than sufficient to the task at hand, although when you compare
them to the actors in the film these live performers often pale. Sarah Lasko
sings well as Dorothy but never quite registers as the innocent girl she’s
supposed to be. The gang of three—the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly
Lion—each have their moments. But Morgan Reynolds stands out (while often
collapsing) as the loose-limbed Scarecrow and Aaron Fried gets a lot of laughs
as the fragile Lion with a comically erect tail.
As
Professor Marvel and the Wizard, Mark A. Harmon doesn’t create his own take on
these characters. And the same is true with Shani Hadjian as Miss Gulch and the
Wicked Witch, since her laugh-cackle can’t match the Hamilton screech that
still sends kids to bed shivering.
But
let’s not compare this show to perfection. The production at the State Theatre
is thoroughly captivating and will keep the full attention of adults and
kiddies. Happily, there is one perfect element in this show: the appearance by
Nigel as Toto, Nigel is a rescue dog that hits every cue perfectly in one of
the most flawless stage performances I’ve seen recently. All in all, this Wizard is a splendid adaptation and
actually serves as a wonderful companion piece to the movie.
The
Wizard of Oz
Through
December 6 at Playhouse Square, 1615 Euclid Avenue, 216-241-6000.
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