CRANFORD, NJ — The celebrated production of “The Wizard of Oz” will be presented by Cranford Dramatic Club Theatre this December.
“It’s a big show, with a big cast,” said Joe Leo, CDC Theatre president, who also pitched in with props for this production.
The show follows the script of the 1939 movie, which was an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The original movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, including “Best Picture,” and winning “Best Original Song” for “Over the Rainbow,” sung by Judy Garland, and “Best Original Score” by Herbert Stothart.
“It’s such a recognizable story,” said Leo. “Everybody knows ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ We were raised on this. It’s the magic of the story. The basis of the story is ‘there’s no place like home.’ Even when you’re feeling lost and you’re scared, one way or another you will find your way home — where your family is, where the love is. That’s what keeps us all sane and hopeful in the world.”
With every show, Leo explains that challenges are always the same — costumes, set building, set painting — but finding the right people was the easy part. “We have great talent. The hard part is putting it all together,” he said. “Community theater is hard. It’s a volunteer organization. It’s hard to get people who want to volunteer and help. Luckily, we have a great membership of people who come out and help. We only have three months to put on a show that’s up for eight performances. People have real lives. They have schedules. They have families. It’s hard to work around everyone’s schedules and lives.”
What is truly incredible about the CDC Theatre presentation is that, thanks to special effects, the show will begin in black and white, the same as the original movie. Then, when Dorothy arrives in Oz, everything comes to life — in full color. “We have projectors to help bring this story to life,” said Leo. “Beautiful background scenery. It brings it to a whole other level.”
Even Dorothy’s beloved pup, Toto, is played by a real dog named Dottie Lis, who is a rescue. “It’s taken her a while to warm up to people,” Leo said. “She’s very attached to her mother. She’s so sweet.”
To bring the colors, the rainbow and the yellow brick road to life is a special experience for Leo. “It still has its draw. There are so many aspects of this show that people love. It’s over 85 years old and still has ‘the magic.’ The comfort of it. You watched as a kid growing up,” he said. “There’s no place like home. It’s where you feel safe. It’s where you feel grounded, where you feel love and mostly happiness. All your memories are there; your life is there.”
Leo remembers watching “The Wizard of Oz” as a child and loving Dorothy and Glinda, but being terrified of the witch. “We watched it every year,” he said. “It warms my heart.”
Mick Burdick, who produced the play with Shannon Ludlum, watched “The Wizard of Oz” as a child and, according to Leo, it made Burdick a “theater person.”
There are 30 people in the cast with Nina Randazzo as Dorothy; Deb Feldman as Aunt Em/Glinda; Betty Mack as Hunk/Scarecrow; Alan Gonzalez as Hickory/Tin Man; Mark Zebro Jr. as Zeke/Lion; Ann Minski as Miss Gulch/Witch; and Ian Federgreen as Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz. You’ll also see the legendary Lollipop Kids, Munchkins and flying monkeys.
The Wizard of Oz will be playing at CDC from Friday, Dec. 8, through Sunday, Dec. 17. For tickets, visit https://www.cdctheatre.org/the-wizard-of-oz.html.
Photos Courtesy of Andrea Redmount