By Rob Saunders, HFA General Manager
Have you ever asked yourself, “What happens if I throw a party and no one comes?”
Well, that was the mild concern of some Huntsville Festival of the Arts board members, prior to the casting call for their 2009 spring presentation of the Wizard of Oz.
Director Gregg Evans had no such concerns and he was proven right, with over 140 members of the community coming out last week and sharing their talents with the judges. They were big and small, young and old (ranging in age from three to 75), but all had to face their fears, stand on the Algonquin Theatre stage and present a song.
Some chose Somewhere Over the Rainbow, while others chose to Ha-Ha-Ha! Ho-Ho-Ho! their way through the merry old Land of Oz. The littlest ones sang We’re Off To See The Wizard, while those with grander aspirations put themselves in the role of the Tin Man, Scarecrow or the Cowardly Lion, and sang those characters’ reprises.
Evans quickly concluded that, based on the talent pool, he would create two full casts. It was, of course, the role of Dorothy that drew the largest interest. Thirty young ladies put their names in the hat as potential Dorothys and, once again, the talent pool in our community ensured that choosing the play’s star would be a difficult task indeed. Six young stars were identified as deserving of a second look and callbacks followed, where both the applicant’s voice and theatrical skills were reviewed.
Final cast decisions will be made by early December and then the real work begins. For those who have leading roles, scripts will have to be reviewed. Costumes will be a major challenge, not just for their complexity, but also for the sheer volume of costumes required.
Staging will also present a major test, such as recreating a Kansas tornado on a 40-foot-by -40-foot stage and, once the director has the scenes blocked out, set designers must figure out how to best create the magic of Oz given the tools at their disposal.
During the auditions and the discussion that followed, festival members involved in guiding this process reminded themselves that this is not just any play. The Wizard of Oz is one of the all-time children’s classics.
That brings many challenges. For instance, how do you change the status quo? Everyone knows Dorothy for her frail but firm personality and her overall sense of wonder. Bert Lahr was the perfect Cowardly Lion and Ray Bolger, the wise Scarecrow. The characters they developed, how they talked and acted, seem to be the only way those characters could be.
Evans will have to guide the evolution of his young cast over the next few months so they will be ready for opening night. The final product will run from Apr. 16 to 18 and also from Apr. 23 to 25, for a total of eight performances.
As an added bonus, the festival has asked the Rotary Club of Huntsville to assist in delivering the production. The Rotary Club has a long and esteemed history in Huntsville of being associated with some of the grandest theatrical productions ever mounted here. It is hoped that this inaugural collaboration between the two groups will rekindle that artistic flame.
Over the next months, further needs will be identified and, possibly, there will be further opportunities to get involved. If you think you have a skill or talent that might help, jump right in. This promises to be a great community collaboration and often those involved take away as much, or more, than they give.
For more information about the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, go to www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca, or visit our blog at www.trumpeterhfa.blogspot.com.
