By Keith Kreitman
Theater review
A lot of kids. A lot of talent. A lot of fun. That’s the best way to describe Peninsula Youth Theatre’s recent production of “The Wiz” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Kids or no, it was great show.
Give these precocious youngsters all the production values provided to adult groups - a fine stage venue, an excellent set and lighting, colorful costumes, excellent choreography, a big pit orchestra - and then add some quality training and good direction, and the kids will do the rest.
Of course all the dancing and singing ain’t Broadway, but who cares?
“The Wiz,” is a takeoff on the famous “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” story by L. Frank Baum, immortalized by Judy Garland and company in a movie musical. Little Dorothy is abducted by a tornado from Kansas and dropped into fictional Munchkin Land, ruled by the benign Wizard of Oz and the evil Wicked Witch of the West.
This version originated as a highly successful 1975 Tony-winning Broadway stage rock musical designed for an all-black cast by Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown and ended up as a movie musical starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Lena Horne.
But I would venture to say that this production rivals those for just plain fun. Uncork the imagination of a bunch of eager, energetic youngsters and get out of the way.
Of course, in such a large group there is a wide range of talent. Unfortunately a review of all the performers is impossible because there are two separate casts, alternately appearing. On July 27, it was the “Rubies.”
Christina Chan as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, was outstanding. She simply dominated the stage in her scenes.
Then there was Diana Partridge, a beautiful girl with a beautiful singing voice, in the dual roles of the good witch Glinda and earlier on as Dorothy’s Aunt Em.
Emily Borromeo did a creditable job as Dorothy, but Doreen Bloch as Addaperle and the powerful voice of Noel Carey as the brainless Scarecrow really shone. Peter Woolhouse as the cowardly Lion was an upstaging ham with a great sense of the ridiculous. Anthony Feenan played the Tin Man, the third of the deprived Oz citizens Dorothy was destined to help.
In competition with the younger ones, 18-year-old Aaron Cuene as the Wiz had his work cut out for him. But he came through with some inspired singing and dancing.
Jonathan Friedman put in a few good comic bits as Lord High Underling to the Wicked Witch of the West. Mattie Pantling (Kalidah Queen), Nicole Bitler (Kalidah) and Cameron Pantling (Uncle Henry/the Gatekeeper) rounded out the cast of speaking parts.
The choreography by Christina Lazo did not cater to the youth of the dancers, but the kids were up to it, not with polish but with enthusiasm.
“The Wiz” was produced by Brian Burns and Susan Leftwich, directed by Nancy Fitzgerald and received its musical direction from Chris Nielsen. Several parent volunteers also contributed to the production. With so many youngsters in the dual casts, this must have been a major adult effort to stage, but it paid off.
