July 19, 2018
If you’re looking for a fun family outing this summer, why not follow the yellow brick road? A new production of The Wizard of Oz is being staged in the Carriage House at Beaconsfield and the entire cast is made up of children and teens.
The musical tells the story of Dorothy Gale, a young girl from Kansas who lives on a farm with her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and her little dog Toto.
When Toto gets in trouble after biting a mean neighbour Dorothy looks for help from her family and friends, but they are too busy to pay attention.
So she decides to run away from home, only to get caught up in a cyclone that transports her to the magical Land of Oz.
Emily Smith, 14, plays Dorothy, the young girl at the centre of the story. When the story opens, Dorothy is frustrated with her life and wants to run away.
Emily says playing this role taught her about the importance of appreciating your life and not looking for perfection.
“A lot of people go looking around for things that are impossible," she said.
"So they go around looking for a perfect life, perfect people, perfect family, perfect relationship, perfect friends and really they don’t need that because what they have is perfect.”
Krysten Cameron, 13, plays the simple Scarecrow, who is looking for a brain. Even though she plays a character stuffed with straw, she says the Scarecrow teaches Dorothy what true wisdom is.
“I feel like sometimes kids might not feel appreciated or loved or feel like they are really being heard. But they really are, their parents love them," she said.
"So the Wizard of Oz really wants to send a message that there’s really no place like home. And that’s where you will always be loved and appreciated.”
Kathleen Henthorn plays the Cowardly Lion who is looking courage. The 14-year-old says she appreciates the deeper message the musical is making.
“I think it’s about a girl who doesn’t appreciate really what she has when she has it. There’s a quote in the show, ‘To go looking for my heart’s desire I shouldn’t have looked farther then my own backyard,’ so she should appreciate what she has when she has it," she said.
"That’s what I think the message of the show is, that’s what Dorothy learns at the end of the show.”
Fallon Trenholm plays a dual role of Auntie Em and Glinda the Good Witch. She loves to see the reaction of the youngest audience members when she walks on stage dressed in her sparkly costume.
“It feels actually really magical because you’re in a bright pink dress and all these kids are like, ‘Whoa!’" she said with a laugh.
“It feels so cool seeing all these little kids smile and look up to you. I love it.”
Kathleen likes the camaraderie between the cast and the creative team.
“I like that we’re all friends, that no one is mean to each other that we are all just like one big family, even the adults who help us put it together like Michelle Banks and all the creative team," she said.
"We’re just all very close, [we can] tell any problem to them and they fix it and that’s what the show’s all about.”
Michelle Banks is the show’s producer and director. She along with music director Morgan Wagner and choreographer Janelle Banks are thrilled with the way the cast has come together.
“The show is definitely one about friendship and community and that feeling of belonging. So these kids have found a home together and made a new family here," said Wagner.
"And it’s really our hope that each show, we welcome everyone else into our little family to join us in that feeling of celebration and belonging.”
That feeling of belonging resonates with 11-year-old Samel Sunil, who plays the Tin Man looking for a heart. Samel appreciates the way his character is always there for his friends.
“The Tin Man character is a very kind soul. He’s always just trying to help Dorothy and he’s always trying to make Dorothy cheer up even when she’s sad and he only wants a heart,” he said.
“I learned from playing the Tin Man that friends can show you so much about yourself because without Dorothy coming Tin Man would have been sad. He would have thought he didn’t have a heart, but with friends you can make everything better.”
It’s a message Samel hopes will stick with the audience long after the final applause.
“To be kind to everyone and always stick with your good friends because they will help you along your journey.”
Especially when that journey takes you down a yellow brick road.