To Oz? To Oz. Oh joy, rapture

WARWICK — The Warwick Valley Middle School Drama Club will present the family classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” at the Theater at the Warwick Valley High School on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28, at 7 p.m., and on Sunday, April 29, art 2 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and students and are available by calling 988-5457 or visiting www.wvmsdrama.net.

The Cast Young Dorothy Gale, portrayed by Sophia Dudgeon, dreams of a place more exciting than her home in Kansas, and along with her dog, Toto, portrayed by Drama Club alum Dundee, runs away from home in search of a place somewhere over the rainbow.

Thanks to a pesky tornado, the youngster finds herself in Munchkinland, a veritable garden of little people with characters as unusual and varied as the imagination can create.

It is there that she meets the Wicked Witch of the West in the form of Dana Peteroy, who is quickly shooed away by Glinda the Good Witch of the North, portrayed by Noelle Manelis.

Glenda promises to help Dorothy go home, but one must wonder about her intentions when she seemingly sends the young girl off into the wilderness on what amounts to be a rather dangerous wild goose chase.

Fortunately, Dorothy makes friends with three unlikely heroes: the scarecrow (Derek Romberg), the tin woodsman (Ethan Cordaro) and the Cowardly Lion (Ian Ball).

Together the foursome ventures to see the Wizard himself, known locally as Will Chester in the merry old, if not weird, Land of Oz.

Behind the scenes Middle School music teacher, Noreen Hanson will once again serve as director for the production, with Katie Bisaro as producer, Joan Rueckert as stage crew director. Choreography is by Hanson along with Warwick Valley High School junior Farrell Brenner. Siran Bartolotta is the set designer with Matthew Egan as master carpenter.

Costumes are once again being fashioned under the direction of Gwen Bettini.

Tea party Take a walk down the yellow brick road and enter Munchkinland as Dorothy hosts a tea party prior to the Sunday performance, featuring several of the characters from the show. The event begins at noon in the High School cafeteria. The cost is $20 per child and $15 per adult, which includes a ticket to the Sunday performance, lunch, dessert and a craft.