Natrona County High School Theatre patrons have a chance to say goodbye to April and hello to May with a quick and delightful trip to Oz this week.
A cast and crew of more than 70 students and one delightful pooch take the stage in Rogers and Hammerstein's classic version of the "The Wizard of Oz," Thursday through Saturday at John F. Welsh Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $6 each and students with IDs and children are admitted two for the price of one. Tickets are available in advance from cast and crew or at the door. Auditorium doors open at 7 p.m.
Senior Kelly McQuade, daughter of Joe and Mary McQuade, is Dorothy.
"It's fun, it's so fun," she said before taking the state for dress rehearsal on Monday. "It's been a great experience. I'm glad this was my final one I got to do."
Vocal director Steve Grussendorf, who is in his sixth musical production at NCHS, said the casting of McQuade as Dorothy is perfect.
"She is phenomenal," he said, while listening to her rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
"She embodies the typical Dorothy. She is so sweet and innocent and the girl can sing," Grussendorf said.
Everyone in the cast sings and Grussendorf says they have rehearsed since the first week of March, although there were time periods when they didn't, like over the shortened spring break/Easter vacation.
Toto is played by Rascal Burke, the adorable 7-year-old Yorkshire Terrier belonging to cast member Laura Burke. This is Rascal's first theatrical production.
"He's the best dog," McQuade said.
Rascal has been to many of the rehearsals so he and McQuade could bond and he was perfect at the dress rehearsal, skidding on stage on cue at one point to the delight of the directors seated in the audience.
Dog lovers shouldn't fear for his safety, however, as a stuffed version subs for Toto in his ride in the basket of Miss Gultch's (Amber Pollack's) bicycle.
McQuade said she thinks the story of Dorothy has messages for everyone.
"Just how innocent she is," she said. "They are all just looking for something in themselves and in the world around them. She helps others find happiness as well."
Bob Hunt, the show's director in his second year as theater instructor at NCHS, said he chose "The Wizard of Oz," specifically for the final show of the year.
"It's a show the whole family can come to," he said. "We wanted to appeal to a wide audience and it's a show we hope a lot of people will come to and enjoy."
Steve Delach is the lion, Kyle Renfro is the tinman and John Zabriskie is the scarecrow.
Pollack serves as both Miss Gultch and the Wicked Witch, while Nick Perkins serves as both Professor Marvel and the Wizard of Oz.
Olga Overmeyer is both Aunt Em and Glinda and Uncle Henry and the Emerald Guard are played by Matt Hurt.
Overmeyer has quite the ride onto stage as Glinda, which should delight theatre patrons as much as Miss Gultch's initial arrival on stage.
And the pit musicians, directed by Jayson Gerth, make you think the tornado of black-and-white television days is just about to hit.
It's a show worth seeing for audiences of all ages.
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