Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ at Alabama Shakespeare Festival

The Alabama Shakespeare Festival's production of The Wizard of Oz is so good that other theatre companies must be green with envy. The stellar cast, impeccable direction, and sumptuous visuals combine to create a production that is a whirlwind of excellence.

The biggest challenge with The Wizard of Oz is that the stage version will always live in the shadow of the 1939 MGM film. Audiences expect Dorothy in her gingham dress, the four main characters skipping towards the Emerald City in a straight line, and a cackling witch. If a production doesn't deliver those things, then people feel cheated. But if a production follows the film too closely, then it ends up being a disappointing imitation. Only Judy Garland can be Judy Garland.

The key to success is to give audience what they want, but to also surprise them with new interpretations and details that give a production its own unique identity. The Alabama Shakespeare Festival strikes the perfect balance between old and new. Every aspect of this production feels both familiar and innovative. That's a difficult mix to achieve, and yet, the artists involved make it look so easy. 

Melissa Rain Anderson has the courage to direct this production, and she could do no wrong with The Wizard of Oz. Anderson trusts the source material and does not try to reinvent the show. But she interjects humor and heart into the story through new details (such as the Wicked Witch's unheeded commands in the first Winkies scene, or the way the adults in the opening scene were too busy for Dorothy). Anderson has a special talent for "stand and deliver" songs that feature one character singing their feelings. "Over the Rainbow" exceeds all expectations I had for the song because of the way Anderson embraced its simplicity and dreaminess. Her direction for "If I Were King of the Forest" gave the song some faux solemnity that made me respect the Cowardly Lion, flaws and all. The Wizard of Oz couldn't ask for a better woman behind the curtain than Anderson.

Where the production feels most innovative is in the actors' performances. The actors in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival's The Wizard of Oz do not rebel against the film; rather, they unapologetically create their characters from scratch. This entire cast is so successful in creating new versions of old characters that I did not miss the iconic performances of Margaret Hamilton, Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger, or even Judy Garland.

Alexis Kinney stars as Dorothy Gale, and Kinney's performance is a pleasure. Dorothy's shock at learning she's the Munchkins' "national heroine" or her delight in the Tin Man's dance were authentic and helped show how wondrous Oz is to an outsider. Kinney has a unique rendition of "Over the Rainbow" that ends with determination and "umph," which ties the song closer to Dorothy's decision to run away. I also loved the pizzazz Kinney gives to "We're Off to See the Wizard."

As the Scarecrow, Matthew McGloin infuses his performance with physicality from the classical clowning tradition. Costumed differently, he would fit comfortably in a 19th century circus or an Italian commedia dell'arte troupe. The rubbery limbs and tumbling were playful elements in the performance, and I was impressed at McGloin's discipline for maintaining the Scarecrow's unique movement style for over two hours. Michael Dalke's Tin Man was full of bravado and determination. His dancing in the "Jitterbug" is particularly impressive and showed that the Tin Man was no longer stiff and rusted. Dalke gave his character the most depth out of any in the cast, and I felt touched when the Tin Man got his heart and then had it broken shortly after when saying goodbye to Dorothy.

The Lion, as portrayed by Thee Ricky Harris, is still a coward, but the wise talking characterization was a fun addition. Harris breaks out of the influence of the film earlier than any other cast member, thanks to his opening speech about courage to Dorothy in Kansas. But Harris shines most as comic relief; the Lion probably gets more laughs than any other character in the production. My favorite gag was the Lion's decision to sit out of the "Jitterbug," which was a fun way to break the fourth wall.

Thank heavens for Lara Hayhurst, who eschewed the traditional vanilla Glinda and instead gave the good witch a little bit of attitude. This Glinda would be at home in a screwball comedy; despite the unorthodox take on the character, it felt like a natural choice. How refreshing. Hayhurst's counterpart, Greta Lambert, was a Wicked Witch par excellence. My two youngest children (ages 5 and 7) admitted to being a "little bit" scared of the Wicked Witch. Lambert seems to be having the most fun on stage as she threatens the Scarecrow with fire or promised Dorothy, "I'll get you, and you're little dog, too!" Lambert's Wicked Witch is a menace, but the melodrama and the undercurrent of fun keeps the performance from being overbearing.

Theresa Ham's costumes for the Oz scenes were a dazzling triumph, especially for the ensemble. The costumes for the Emerald City were the epitome of haute couture. Some of the women wore corsets, multilayered skirts, and fascinators, while some men wore formal jackets with tails and vintage round sunglasses. The style was clearly inspired by the stage version of Wicked, but that is not a bad source for inspiration (especially because the budget could support such a vision). The jitterbugs (complete with antennae) had terrific sparkly purple coats for wings, and in the poppy scene, the hats that served as blossoms gave a hypnotic element to the dancer's head nods. (No wonder Dorothy and her friends got sleepy among the flowers!) My favorite costumes, though, were for the flying monkeys. The bomber jackets, aviator helmets, and massive wings were an innovative combination that put the film's monkeys to shame. The actors' simian movements (especially from Michael Rios as Nikko, the head monkey) completed the illusion.

Birmingham Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH (Northeast Alabama Community College)

20.5% of votes

2. CABARET (University of Montevallo)

12.6% of votes

3. WAITRESS THE MUSICAL (Red Mountain Theatre)

12.3% of votes

Vote Now!