Wednesday, March 26, 2003
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Wednesday, March 26, 2003 |
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Sandy Creek taking audiences to see "The Wiz" By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
Sandy Creek High School's drama department invites everyone to "ease on down the road" this weekend - the yellow brick road that is. Sandy Creek will present the Tony award-winning musical "The Wiz" Thursday through Saturday. Everyone involved with the show has been having a blast as "The Wiz" takes the familiar story of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," and spices it up with some glitz, funk and soul from the 1970s. The musical opened on Broadway on Jan. 5, 1975 and enjoyed 1,672 performances. It was then made into a popular film starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor among others. "A lot of people are familiar with the movie, but the musical is a little different, featuring several songs that are not in the movie," said director Kathy Anderson. "All of the directors of this show have really enjoyed working with a different style of music, dancing and acting." Though there are several differences between "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz," the story is pretty much the same. A tornado takes Dorothy to Oz, where she meets a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion. The four friends journey to see the Wizard of Oz and try to avoid an evil witch. Sandy Creek has a large cast and has double casted a majority of the roles. Mari Ribeiro and Chardonnay Bunkley will share the role of Dorothy, while Christy Justice and Lauren Miller will share the role of Evilene. Erin Burnett and Jennifer Merrill will each play Scarecrow, Simon Sharp and Shawn Smith will play Tin Man and Candice Griffin and Jessica Merrill will play Glinda. Other members of the cast include Sara Norris as Aunt Em, Tyran Weldon as Lion and Donovan Herring as The Wiz. "The Wiz" features such classic songs as "The Feeling We Once Had," "What Would I Do If I Could Feel," "If You Believe" and, of course, "Ease on Down the Road." "The show is very upbeat and flashy," said Anderson, who adds that the cast and crew have had lots of opportunity for creative input and problem solving as they have put the show together. "The Wiz" will run Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Sandy Creek High School. Tickets are $6 in advance or $8 at the door. Phone 770-969-2840 for more information. |
