Looking to take a new path this spring? Come join the Okemos High School Theater Program on their journey along the Yellow Brick Road with their spring production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
Performances will take place from April 28 and May 5 to 7.
The show brings to life the classic novel, featuring the beautiful and beloved songs and scenes from the 1939 classical film.
Dorothy Gale is blown away by a tornado on her ordinary farm in Kansas and finds herself in the wonderful and magical land of Oz. To find her way home, she must travel the Yellow Brick Road where she encounters many different characters; some playful, some mischievous, some even kooky but it is the only way for her to end up in the hands of the glorious and powerful Wizard in Emerald City.
With the crew at Okemos High School, it isn’t always a few clicks of the heels with slippers to make this show come to life.
Head of the lighting crew and senior at Okemos High School, Ambrose Meteyer, explained that it doesn’t come together overnight.
“Everyone has long hours. The cast, the crew, the directors, producers, anyone really who makes up the show basically devotes almost that entire half of the semester to that production,” Meteyer said.
Playing the roles of the ‘Tin Man’ and ‘Hickory’ is senior Jack Brummer, who is excited and working hard to make the show a success.
“Being in the cast of a musical takes a lot of time out of your life, but it’s so worth it. Attending dance rehearsals, choral rehearsals, and acting rehearsals, all takes time but it all comes together in the end to produce a great show. You have to practice dance combinations while also being able to sing at the same time,” Brummer said.
The Okemos High School Theater Program has a strong history of putting together high-quality entertainment not just for the school district but the community as well.
Director Chad Swan-Badgero said it’s a “true honor to be part of the team that brings these productions to life” and that since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a key factor for the theater program to increase student participation in these productions which also lead to the goal of making every show a full house with members of the community present.
“I’ve truly grown up with the movie “Wizard of Oz,” so it’s really exciting to bring this classic story to the stage. I’m also extremely excited about working with flying actors for this production, which is something I’ve never done as a director,” Swan-Badgero said.
There’s definitely no place like home other than witnessing the performance from this theater program.For tickets or more information regarding the performance, can be found on the Okemos High School Theater Department website.