The Cobb Energy Center hosted a wonderful show today - "The Wizard of Oz." Even though a professional traveling show and experts in their craft, I had an eye on certain things:
1. Glenda the good witch, played by Sarah Amandes, was wonderful. Her "bubble" when it left her in the first act hit lighting instruments as it flew out. Oops.
2. The tornado in Act I was outstanding! Mad props to the graphics, Second Home Productions, and set designer, Tim McQuillen-Wright, on that! Well done on the projection, the sound by Shannon Slaton, and the screens flying in!
3. Uncle Henry, played by Ryan Wagner - no. He needed to be older and not so young and whiny.
4. Toto, played by Dusty, was adorable!! A real dog on stage! He stole the show! He was so well-behaved, got all his cues right - he was wonderful! Makes me want to be a pet-wrangler for a show!
5. The Lion, played by Jesse Coleman, was fantastic - very funny, but I really, really wanted the New York accent. There are just some words like "verb" and "nerve" that just made the original Lion from the movie.
6. The three crows in the Scarecrow scene, Mark Chandler, Ben Gleichauf and Geoffrey Mergele - what a great idea! Excellent comedic timing and the voices were superb! Good idea!
7. Same thing with the trees, McKayla Marso, Anne Marie Snyder and Alishia Suitor - turning into three beautiful women and singing with the Tin Man, Beau Hutchings - well done! Great idea!
8. The theater itself was gorgeous. There were enough ushers to last that place a lifetime!
9. Props to the set designer, Tim McQuillen-Wright for the top of the show and the Kansas backdrop. Made me miss home. Well done!
10. I had all kinds of problems with the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Pat Sibley. And not only because I can play it better. Her entrances the entire show were awful. Her exits were "blah." Her costume was "ugh." And her voice - God, I wanted something a little bit more serious and scary.
11. Interesting spin on the Tin Man, Beau Hutchings and why he was rusted - my friend told me the movie left out the original book's reason for him and it was nice to hear.
12. The Tin Man (Hutchings) - see, when they first meet him and oil him, they only oiled his mouth and arms, and then he automatically moved? What about his legs? If he didn't need oil for his legs he could have moved a long time before they got there. WTH?
13. The interaction between the Scarecrow, Andrew Haserlat and the Tin Man (Hutchings) when the Lion (Jesse Coleman) is doing his scene is hysterical - what good comedic timing between those two!
14. Ok, going back to the firs time we see the Scarecrow (Haserlat) - um...here's the thing - you hear the crows for a good bit before seeing them appear...and it was a tad loud. Why? We got the point that they're in a field - let it go. A few "caws" and be done with it.
15. Ruby slippers looked great.
16. Emerald City - oh my god, props to the Costume Designer, Tim McQuillen-Wright! What a great use of different shades of green! Well done with the background!
17. Loved the song "Up at noon, lunch at one and out by 2p.m." - only in the land of Oz.
18. "King of the Forest" song - waaayy too fast.
19. The guard for the Wizard of Oz, Ryan Wagner, was hysterical. He's so funny. Great acting job!
20. The actual mechanical face of the Wizard of Oz reminded me so much of 'The Wiz' - now I gotta watch that again.
21. They skipped the whole scene of how the Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow dressed up as guards to break in and get Dorothy. But it's ok - I know they had to do something for time sake.
Well done and should be viewed in any city!
