James Harris
Performing Arts students from the Regent’s School recently performed A
Wizard of Oz to packed audiences for three nights in the Globe Theatre. This
whole school production involved over 100 students from the age of 7 to 16,
whether performing, playing in the orchestra or helping backstage. Many in
the audience agreed that it was the best performance in recent years.
Russell
begins Act 2.
This version of the familiar story was presented as a play-within-a-play
based on the original story of The Wizard of Oz written over a century ago
by L. Frank Baum, which later became the iconic Warner Brothers film
starring Judy Garland as Dorothy. The initial focus of this drama was a
group of alienated young people living in an urban community named Emerald
City Limits in 2001.
The legendary story of Oz and the promised escape to the Yellow Brick Road
provide a possible answer to the rootless lives of the teenagers depicted at
the beginning and end of the play. In this version, a character called Finn
became something of a ring master, master of ceremonies and magician
combined. All these different aspects were expertly caught in the
performance of Sergey Aleksentsev as Finn with his sinuous movement and
mysterious tone of voice.
Of course, at the centre of any production of the Oz story is the character
of Dorothy Gale, played with tremendous confidence and aplomb by Year 12
student Lisa Durant. Her characterization, combined with a sweetly toned
singing voice, precisely caught the heart-catching note of vulnerability and
spirit of camaraderie needed for this part.
Finn
tells the story of The Wizard of Oz.
Sierra Sanchez as Scarecrow, Helena Depaepe as Tinman and Cemlyn Waters as
the lovable lion all played their parts with relish and entirely succeeded
in capturing the hearts of the audience young and old.
Ralf Siegrist who portrayed the troubled teenager Russell, the mysterious
Professor Marvel and the title part of the terrifying (and later, after his
transformation, into the ‘not so terrifying’) Wizard of Oz brought detail
and understanding to each of his roles and clearly raised the roof with his
storming performance of Great Balls of Fire which convincingly brought Elvis
back to life!
Similarly, Tassaneee Sanchez presented Esmeralda, the Wicked Witch of the
West with huge relish and wit commanding the theatre with her terrifying
voice and sweep of her cloak. Other outstanding performances included Eddy
Rudram as a comically diffident Mayor of the Munchkins, Francis Calalang as
particularly spiteful Witch’s Cat, and JunJji Hwang as the imperious Queen
of the Field mice.
There was excellent work too from Jeanette Hayes who doubled as Auntie Em
and the Oz lady, desperately trying to fend off the lion at the start of Act
2, a richly characterized ‘deep south’ Uncle Henry from Ethan Northcutt and
Margaret Stimpson as a gracefully poised Belinda, the Good Witch, looking
resplendent in her beautiful dress and wings.
The lively chorus of younger students provided excellent vocal and acting
support throughout the evening, whether as Munchkins, the teenagers of
Emerald City, trees and even poppies!
Dorothy
Gale follows the Yellow Brick Road.
The spectacular stage design, created by the Art Department with particular
help from the Year 10 GCSE Art class, successfully conveyed the several
different locations of the urban Emerald City in the prologue and epilogue,
a farmyard in Kansas, the ‘multi-coloured’ world of Munchkinland, the Wicked
Witch’s Castle and Emerald City itself.
The staging of the storm scene with the Wicked Witch of the East flying
across the stage accompanied by spectacular sound and light effects clearly
thrilled the audience as did the dramatic death of the Wicked Witch who
seemed to actually melt amidst the stage drenched in smoke and blood red
light.
The orchestra played expertly throughout the performance in an
interpretation of the original story which also made room for additional
rock numbers such as Leader of the Pack and Black Magic Woman. This seemed
to take the whole performance to a different level and the rousing finale
featured a reprise of Follow the Yellow Road, the evergreen Somewhere over
the Rainbow and Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
The extended interval included a striking exhibition of curriculum work from
all Year levels of the school inspired by the story and themes of The Wizard
of Oz with refreshments provided by the Regent’s own Goldfish PLC and our
community partners who benefited from ticket sales to the sum of 16,000 baht
each. These were the Abundant Life Centre in Baeng Saen; The Father Ray
Foundation in Pattaya; The Camillian Centre, Rayong and Croston House, a
home for abandoned children situated close to Chiang Mai. A substantial
donation was given to each of these organizations as a result of the
performance. The total sum included 2,010 baht raised by Dustin Northcutt
playing guitar in the intervals across the three evenings.
All in all, a night to remember which hopefully will be a challenge to
improve upon next year.
The Wizard of Oz.
The Wicked Witch of the North.
Dorothy in a tight corner!
The Tin Man.
The Wicked Cat nearly catches
the Queen of the Field Mice!
The poppies.
Dorothy and her friends.
The Munchkins.
The company pose at the end of
the show.
