Reacquaint Yourself With THE WIZARD OF OZ, Presented By Stand Up For... Theatre at DoodleHATCH in Columbia

During Pride month, it's appropriate to support theatre devoted to the inclusion of those who have been 'othered' by society in general, and even in the theatrical community. Take pride in your local alternative community theater and see Stand Up For.... Theatre's latest production, The Wizard Of Oz, At DoodleHATCH in Columbia, Maryland.

Stand Up For ….Theatre has an excellent mission statement. It explains their devotion to inclusivity, their passion for bringing in new performers in each and every show, their mission of promoting acceptance for everyone in the Q+ community and their goal of fostering conversation between LGBTQIA+ individuals, particularly youths, and their families. 

Sounds big? It IS big. It’s huge, it’s life-altering, and it’s ongoing. This theater company deserves your support simply for existing. Stand Up For….Theatre was formed on a foundation of tragedy.  Challenges and setbacks regarding production of their current show, The Wizard Of Oz, at DoodleHATCH Interactive Art Museum in Columbia is rather small potatoes to that. Despite the physical challenges of the space itself, despite time and set restrictions of the Museum being open to the public until 5 PM every day, despite lighting and noise intrusions from the RC Car club that occupies the other side of the building, despite loss of cast members during the final week of rehearsal, SUF...T manages to open The Wizard Of Oz as advertised.

There are many things to admire about SUF…T, like a six piece live band playing songs and score, like their commitment to casting people who have never been onstage before, like giving families the opportunity to perform together, like including people whom other companies consider uncastable due to physical or neurological differences. If the songs are sung with more enthusiasm than accuracy, what of it? Perhaps the audience, some of whom must have these songs committed to memory, could participate and sing along. 

It is another unusual aspect of the company that SUF…T performs in Columbia’s funky community-participatory ongoing art project, DoodleHATCH. Originally conceived as a department store for mythological beings, time travelers and galactic tourists, the venue bills itself as an interactive art museum designed to inspire creativity in children and their families. It also has become: meeting place, prom photo shoot, birthday party, fashion show, play date and theatrical venue. While the cast and crew are still preparing in the portion of DoodleHATCH they occupy for the show, guests are invited to explore the rest of the museum, which many also do at intermission. 

The staging is by necessity artfully fragmented, and often the stage crew become phantom participants in the action. Director Ed Higgens manages to work in many of our favorite bits from the movie, and they may be low-tech, but they’re high in creativity and humor, including a crucial featured moment for Livy Wojciehowski as Snow Baby. The audience also participates- you’ll know when. 

In her first lead role, young Samantha Rudai gives us a bewildered, angsty Dorothy Gale. This part is an enormous undertaking, with lines and songs in nearly every scene in the show. Samantha brings staunch commitment to her sequences, and her concerned expressions are completely understandable. As Dorothy’s nemesis Miss Gulch, Kristin Cooley is deliciously antagonistic, really nailing the mannerisms and laugh made famous in the movie by the wonderful Margaret Hamilton. It’s a pity the Wicked Witch of the West didn’t get her own song in the movie, and she doesn’t here, either. Christopher Pence as the mysterious Professor Marvel is confident and warm, with amusing improvisational skills, and it’s fun to spot him in other roles as the show continues. Marianne Sohn, playing Glinda, is ethereal and mellifluous, and her interactions with Dorothy are refreshingly crisp. 

The inhabitants of Munchkinland are, as one might expect, mostly children, ranging from tall to tiny. Though she’s experienced onstage as a dancer, graceful young Jenna Weiner makes her theatrical debut with SUF….T and leads the ladies’ contingent of Munchkinland. Finn Bowman, as Mayor of Munchkinland, looks splendid in his vest and jacket, and is abundantly mayoral in his motions and speech. Physically distinctive, with excellent clarity and enunciation is Oliver Altman as Munchkinland’s Coroner, who legally verifies the demise of the striped socks sister-witch whom we never meet. Victoria and PJ Rudai along with Livy and Joel Wojciehowski complete the citizenry and make the stage lively with dancing and fa-la-la-ing throughout the Munchkinland sequence.

Director Ed Higgins utilizes a small Ensemble to serve as minor characters in Oz, namely Bryan Brown, Mauryce Brumfield, Melody Blahut and Geoff Bowman.  Bryan Brown has a gift for comic timing and appears in several key moments, to the delight of the audience. Of Mauryce Brumfield I must say this: his joy in performing is a joy to watch. Whether beclad in a ballgown or garbed as a force of nature, he’s simply bursting with exuberance and conviction. Melody Blahut has such entertaining facial expressions that I’m disappointed to not see her more often. Geoff Bowman seems delighted to be onstage doing whatever he’s asked to do, and it is much. He tries to blend in scenes where he is not the focus, with limited success, a matter of dimension rather than intention.

Dorothy’s friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion are performed by Kristen Demers, Sal Wright and Michael Zellhofer, respectively, and their various antics make the children in the audience laugh a great deal. I’m impressed and worried in equal parts by the Scarecrow’s tumbles and stumbles. Kristin seems as floppy as a rag doll, and makes Scarecrow larger than life, physically and vocally. Sal Wright makes their stage debut as the mild and tender Tin Man and is just lovely, ignoring with casual aplomb the occasional  microphone issues. Their height is an advantage for this role, and I look forward to seeing Sal in future performances. Seasoned actor Michael Zellhofer performs the part of Lion with familiar gruff tones, and his costume and makeup are exceedingly beautiful. 

Possibly the most adored cast member is Toto, who has a tail, er, tale, absolutely SUF…T-worthy. Played by a tiny creature with a huge name, the “little dog” who is the cornerstone of the entire piece is a rescued, fostered, rehabbed and re-homed fur friend. He proves to  be an excellently cooperative cast member who charms the audience immediately.

The show’s script, developed based on the movie rather than the book, contains a few differences from the film. One of these is the restoration of the Jitterbug number, which was cut from the movie for time concerns, and it’s a fun interlude. Choreographer Lilou Altman gives the performers moves they can handle and look good doing, and the sequence is a fresh morsel that many audience members will never have heard or seen before.  

The sets are representative rather than realistic, but still labor-intensive. Even with smooth coordination between the members of the stage crew, scene changes take a bit of time, which drags the pacing somewhat. 

Stage crew members JoNell Paschall and Amy Rudai worked with artist Stephanie Smith to create 4 beautiful 3-sided backdrop pieces to represent different locations in Oz, and the artwork is exquisite. Costumers Grant Myers and Cathy Pritchard, in collaboration with local designer Lee Andersen, have built creative garb for the Kansas contingent, as well as Munchkinland citizens and Dorothy’s three Wizard-bound companions, and includes several visual surprises. Relationship-based collaborations grace the stage in the form of additional costumes and props both large and small, on loan from two other theater companies.

Admittedly, this is not objectively the most polished rendition of a beloved classic as a performance. If you want Broadway slickness, however, you’ll pay Broadway prices, and probably your kid- or anyone you know- isn't in the show. These local performers, including 5 different families, have obviously worked very hard on a mammoth production. For me, it’s nice to revisit an old favorite. Are the show, venue, production company, performers and crew 100% worthy of your support? Absolutely, 100%. Artistry is a constantly evolving spectrum, which needs the fertilization of attendance and the sweet water of applause. When you have the opportunity to be those things for others, do it, especially in your own back yard. Come out, come out, wherever you are, sing along and immerse yourself in the fantasy.

Running time is 2 hours 35 minutes, with an intermission.

See THE WIZARD OF OZ at DoodleHATCH Interactive Art Museum - 8775 Cloudleap Ct, Columbia, MD 21045

7:00 PM Friday 6/16, 7:00 PM Saturday 6/17

1:00 Saturday 6/17, 1:00 Sunday 6/18

Ticket Prices: Adult, $20.00; Child, Military, Senior, $18.00

Purchase Tickets Online.

Photo, from L: Marianne Sohn, Chaz and Samantha Rudai as Glinda, Toto and Dorothy in Munchkinland

Photo Courtesy of Stand Up For.... Theatre

THE WIZARD OF OZ by Frank L. Frank Baum, With Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, Background Music by Herbert Stothart; Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard, Orchestration by Larry Wilcox; Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros. 

***Final Factoid: The Lion costume worn in the movie fetched $3 million American dollars at auction in 2014.

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