Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ at Broadway Palm

There is a reason The Wizard of Oz is so popular a movie that it is shown every year. The story is beloved, uplifting, and heartwarming. But how do you bring what is essentially a dream sequence to the stage?

The talented folks at Broadway Palm have done an amazing job. They have created a production where it is easy to suspend disbelief. Major kudos to director Victor Legarreta. He marshals a flock of actors with a plethora of special effects to sweep us into another world.

The theater’s video wall is essential to a show like this, and Chris McCleary has designed the exciting visuals on the screen and the dramatic lighting to go with them. Scenic Designer Robert Kovach and Sound Designer Robert Agard along with Technical Director Monica Ormes and Assistant Director Nate Rush have outdone themselves.

And not to be forgotten is Costume Designer John P. White. The costumes are as technicolor worthy as can be.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a show without actors, and the cast here is headed by Meghan Renee Wombles as Dorothy. She is so sweetly sincere she makes you root for her immediately.

And who wouldn’t want that trio of BFFs? Stephen Sandham as Scarecrow, Jeff Gallup as Tin Man, and Jordon Ross Weinhold as Cowardly Lion (he must have gone to the Bert Lahr School of Acting) are as funny as they are stalwart.

Mckenzie Tipton as Glenda sails from the sky with aplomb and adds the right amount of softness to stern Auntie Em. Alex Dagg also displays two distinctly different personas as Uncle Henry and the Oz Gate Keeper. Jerry Sciarrio’s Professor Marvel doesn’t have as far to go to become the Wizard, both are con men with a bit of flair.

Of course, every story needs a villain, and Kristina Miranda Sloan rises, literally, to the challenge of the Wicked Witch and Miss Gulch. Her cackle is delicious.

I would be remiss not to congratulate the Ensemble actors on their versatility. They are wonderful as Munchkins and flying monkeys. The three crows that menace Scarecrow are hilarious. The three tapdancing apple trees with attitude likewise.

Take your child, take your inner child, take the whole family to this production. We all deserve a happy ending.

The Wizard of Oz runs through August 8. For tickets, call 239.278.4422.

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