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Centrestage Theatre will wrap up the year with one of Hollywood’s all time favourite stories The Wizard of Oz.
L. Frank Baum’s tale of a Kansas farm girl who travels over the rainbow to discover the magic of home has been entertaining audiences for generations.
The show at Centrestage in Orewa runs from October 27 to November 17, with 18 performances in total.
It is directed by Michael Sanders, who directed the same show 20 years ago when United Players, a forerunner of the Centrestage Theatre Company, put it on.
Centrestage president Debbie Hogan says the cast is made up of 18 children, aged between eight and 14 years, as well as 17 other players.
A number of families are involved including the three McMurray children – Matthew, Hannah and Emily – and Olwyn Hobman and her son and daughter, Noah and Ilan.
The lead role of Dorothy is played by Annelie Maddock, with Maxwell Hutton playing the Scarecrow, Kaelin Wade as the Tin Man and Carlin Diprose as the Lion.
The musical director is former Orewa College student Leon Reynolds.
Debbie says one of the aims of the Centrestage company is to nurture young talent.
Rehearsals for The Wizard of Oz started in July and this will be the company’s sixth show this year.
“It’s been a fun show to rehearse, but it is not without its technical challenges,” Debbie says, referring to the scene where Dorothy’s home is pulled from the ground by high winds and taken up into the eye of a tornado.
Auditions for the first show next year – 42nd Street – started last week.
The company, which is run entirely by volunteers, welcomes new members who are willing to help in any capacity. For more information, contact the theatre on 426 7282.
Tickets for The Wizard of Oz are available at centrestagetheatre.co.nz
