Theatre review: Nostalgic appeal helps CTORA Theatre's The Wizard of Oz fly
Strong performances and visuals, not to mention airborne witches and monkeys, make for a classic trip over the rainbow
CTORA Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz. Photo by Canna Zhou
CTORA Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz is at the Granville Island Stage to November 12
THERE ARE FEW CULTURAL treasures as iconic as The Wizard of Oz. Thanks largely to the 1939 film, the characters, story, and quotes such as “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” have been beloved to generations of people worldwide. CTORA’s classic production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Wizard of Oz builds off all that nostalgia, bringing the popularized versions of its characters to vivid life and keeping the story’s messages on friendship and family alive. And yes, there are even little flying monkeys.
One of the keys to the successful character re-creations here is spot-on casting. As Dorothy, young Camryn Macdonald genuinely delivers Dorothy’s hope and kindness, singing with pleasing clarity and pitch. She does justice to the iconic “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, with a touch of Disney-princess belt, nicely making the song her own. Macdonald, along with the rest of the cast, also expertly works with Arya, the purebred Cairn Terrier in the role of Toto. A trained show dog, there’s still a bit of wrangling needed for her at times, but that’s inevitable when it comes to working with animals onstage. Whether picking Arya up or ad-libbing an extra line here and there to adjust to occasional “improvisations” from the dog, Macdonald and the cast do an excellent job of working with this show’s Toto.
Kryst Hogan is phenomenal as the Wicked Witch and her Kansas persona, Miss Gulch. Her vocal and physical delivery—from a wicked laugh down to each sinister finger movement—oozes evil, and it’s fun to watch. Also outstanding is Preston Wilder as Tin Man, the performer skillfully embodying the stiff character in every movement of his body and face, while still offering impressive tap dancing, characterization, and energy.
As Lion, Jonathan Gagne offers a strong operatic tenor voice and delightful humour. As Scarecrow, Keith Macmillan entertains with his fantastic dancing, including great flexibility, highlighted in his solo “If I Only Had A Brain”. His portrayal of Scarecrow is unique in its sweet vulnerability, which nicely complements Wilder’s assertive, and Gagne’s bashful character personas. As Glinda, Jennie Neuman adds shades of the Wicked version of Glinda, with her humour and endearing personality.
Also key to the character re-creations here are the collaborative efforts of the costume-design team (Jaimie Lievers, Emma Blu Pabuaya, Fiona Raavita, Judy Cerny, Lily Yuan, and Julie White) and makeup artist Richard Elsom. Take, for example, the Tin Man’s costume, which convincingly gives the appearance of a full-bodied tin suit, yet allows Wilder to dance and remain in the costume for most of the show. Elsom’s detailed makeup work completes Wilder’s Tin Man look, as it does the looks of the other characters—especially Lion, Scarecrow, and Wicked Witch.
With CTORA’S last show, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, the company demonstrated a knack for creative use of props and special effects, and this is again apparent here. Notable moments include the sassy apple trees that throw their apples, the Witch’s fiery attack on Scarecrow, the tearing apart of Scarecrow by the flying monkeys; and the effective use of projections, including a fun video montage during the tornado.
By far the biggest highlight here, though, is the flying. Thanks to Vertigo, a team of professional flight operators, we see the characters fly across the stage throughout the show, with the Wicked Witch at times seeming to just drop down from the sky. And of course, it’s fabulous to see the winged monkeys soaring.
Set designer Brian Ball has cleverly created illusions of grandeur, with the help of moving panels and the aforementioned projections throughout, and a unique approach to visually presenting the “great and powerful Oz”. Darren W. Hales’s lighting design works nicely with Ball’s set to complete the visuals—say, when he illuminates the stage with green for the Emerald City, or creates the Yellow Brick Road with lights instead of a physical representation.
CTORA Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz. Photo by Canna Zhou
In this production, the emphasis is clearly on the visuals and performances. Elsewhere, on opening night, the timing seemed to lag in parts of the first act, and the opening Kansas section lacked some energy. The show also uses pre-recorded tracks instead of a live band—sometimes giving the music a generic sound.
But when the musical’s ensemble gets to shine in the second act’s “The Merry Old Land of Oz”, it really takes flight. The best dance number is “Jitterbug”, thanks to Ken Overbey’s jazz-styled choreography and the energetic performances of Dorothy and friends, plus the Jitterbugs. (Superfans know it’s based on a musical number that was cut from MGM's The Wizard of Oz movie.) Under the musical direction of Jeremy Hoffman, the harmonies and overall vocal delivery from the cast are also strong throughout.
Adding to the enjoyment is a chorus of talented children who are adorable to watch as munchkins and flying monkeys—holding their own alongside experienced professionals.
On opening night, when Macdonald said “There’s no place like home," the audience instinctively burst into enthusiastic applause. It’s nice to know that in these turbulent times that we’re living in, there are still some things that bring people together.
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