The phrase “Wizard of Oz” usually conjures images of Judy Garland, a whole lot of glitter and the quaint scenery of Munchkinland.
Well, hold on to your lederhosen because Oswego State’s fall production of “The Wizard of Oz” isn’t going to be at all what you expect.
Director Jonel Langenfeldrial’s goal for the upcoming production is to give the classic tale a modern update, while remaining true to the original theme.
“At its core, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is a story about trying to find where we belong,” Langenfeldrial said. “And that’s a story we can all relate to.”
Langenfeldrial’s “Wizard of Oz” will have a train-hopper motif, which was inspired by her adopted nephew. The stage will feature industrial scenery and steampunk costuming. Train tracks will replace the yellow brick road throughout the show to emphasize the theme of finding a path and with it, a sense of belonging.
The classic characters are receiving upgrades too, but each holds on to the essence of their original counterpart.
The Tin Man will take the form of a bionic war veteran.
Langenfeldrial explains her concept of the modern Scarecrow as “a Johnny Depp-esque hobo.”
The Cowardly Lion has evolved from bullied to bully. Playing the Lion is freshman Dwan Hameed. He is soft-spoken, thoughtful and dedicated to the complexity of his character.
“I don’t want to just do what they did in the movie,” Hameed said.
Hameed isn’t the only student working with his character in this manner. Langenfeldrial, in an effort to immerse students in their roles, has tasked each of them by creating a backstory for their character; a process that will require both research and creativity. To further involve the audience, the backstories will be displayed on boards in the lobby of the Waterman Theater during performances.
Waterman Theater, located in Tyler Hall, is newly renovated. “The Wizard of Oz” will be the theater department’s debut on the Waterman stage. During the construction, the department was performing in the Hewitt Ballroom, which posed unique challenges.
Nicole Marlowe, stage manager for “The Wizard of Oz,” said that the ballroom was not designed as a performance venue, so the theater department was responsible for building their own stage and providing their own audience seating. Waterman Theater is a traditional theater, so “The Wizard of Oz” will not be a bring-your-own-chair kind of show.
Even in a fully functional theater, “The Wizard of Oz” has high demands of its cast and crew. The cast is made up of an astonishing 41 actors. 11 of these actors are children from Oswego and Langenfeldrial is excited for the opportunity to create connections between Oswego State and the local community.
The cast also includes a 10-person dance troupe because this contemporary version of “The Wizard of Oz” features many updated dance numbers in the styles of step, stomp and hip hop.
Choreographer Dexter Jones is an Oswego State alumni who travels from New York City each weekend to rehearse with the cast. Jones works primarily with assistant choreographer Ayanna Stallings, a step-dancing expert.
This dynamic show requires a dedicated crew. Marlowe said there’s never a shortage of helping hands, especially since each theater major must participate in three shows as either a cast or crew member. In addition, many technology majors choose to join the crew. This kind of collaboration makes the theater world go round and Langenfeldrial knows it.
“Everything in the world is connected,” Langenfeldrial said. “And we spend a lot of time trying to disconnect it, trying to be different. We just can’t forget to reconnect at some point.”
The cast, crew and production team are hard at work creating connections between themselves, the modern world and the classic tale of “The Wizard of Oz.” Be sure to catch the show, which runs from Oct. 20 through Oct. 29.
