By Austin Siegemund-Broka
Editor-in-Chief
Last year, it was tap. This year, it’s soul.
The Drama Department will present its spring musical “The Wiz” for two weekends starting April 16, bringing the funky Broadway hit to Costa’s stage for the first time in 11 years.
A jazzy gem first performed among the more traditional musicals of the ‘70s, “The Wiz” is a soulful twist on L. Frank Baum’s novel “The Wizard of Oz.”
Centered on the same characters and storyline, this version features undertones of civil rights commentary and a groovy soundtrack entirely its own.
The iconic foursome of Dorothy, the brainless Scarecrow, thew heartless Tin Man and the cowardly Lion will be played by junior Kelianne Safarik and seniors Ben Silva, Tyler Duncan, and Spencer Ellman, respectively.
Their journey through the mythical land of Oz pits them against the Wicked Witch of the West, Evillene(junior Selena Feliciano), as they walk the yellow brick road to find the Wiz(senior Michael Moskewicz).
“You know these characters from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Everyone loves the Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and so on. Those characters are there in ‘The Wiz’ and there’s another level to them. They’re different, and it’s great to see them interacting,” Silva said.
The Drama Department also considered “Peter Pan,” “A Chorus Line,” and “High School Musical” for the spring musical, but Mathews said”The Wiz” would build on the department’s reputation for high-quality, all-ages shows while providing a new feel for the performers and audience.
“It’s great that we have such a strong reputation and we have a lot of talent, but it’s also a lot of pressure. The show was so tap-specific that last year I was really looking for a different show to do this year,” Mathews said. “It’s fun, funky, and just provides a lot of opportunities.”
While last year’s spring musical, “Crazy For You,” was well-regarded for its large-scale tap dance choreography, “Wiz” cast members say this show is more of an all-around showcase of song, dance and theater.
“I’d say it’s a little more focused on singing, because the singing is very soulful and there are a lot more pop tunes than classic Broadway,” Safarik said.
Other cast members have said the character dynamics, both among the four main characters and among the rest ofthe cast, are the show’s dominant element.
“Everyone gets a chance to shine in it, and I think that’s nice. There are a lot of little characters in it that I think are really funny. You have the mice squad, you have the poppies and you have the munchkins and the monkeys. They’re all really quirky,” Ellman. “I think we’re going to be able to do a lot with what is given to us in the script.”
Since the play’s music was written in the syle of ‘70s Motown records, the pit orchestra also plays a much different role than it has in past shows. The pit has incorporated nine “pit singers,” or vocalists solely in the pit, and a plethora of synthesizer sounds to evoke the ‘70s feel.
“The most difficult thing about this show is brining the ‘70s back to life,” orchestra director Mark McCormick said. “Since this is modeled after the Motown experience, what we are is very different from a traditional orchestra. What we are is like a rhythm section, a studio orchestra, which is complemented by singers and strings.”
“The Wiz” was first performed on Broadway in 1975 and was one of a few Broadway shows featuring an all-black cast. The show snapped up seven Tony awards and ran on Broadway for four years, becoming one of the most famous and widely performed soul-style musicals. A 1978 film adaption featured Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow and Motown star Diana Ross as Dorothy.
The cast and crew of Costa’s production have acknowledged the difficulty of performing a musical written for an entirely black cast. While Costa’s cast includes students of all wastes, every member is working to accomodate the show’s cultural slant without stereotyping or becoming cheesy.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how that works out. For now, you go as far as you can go with it. If you didn’t do it with a bit of soul, it would sound really stupid,” Ellman said.
“The Wiz” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on April 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24. Matinee shows (at 2 p.m.) will also be given on April 18 and 24, and select members of the cast will perform a special elementary school assembly show on April 21 at 10 a.m.
Tickets will be $10 for students and $12 for adults on pre-order and $12 for students and $15 for adults at the door.
“We have amazing actors and vocalists and amazing dancers, and I can feel the blend of everyone coming together. It’s going to be really great,” Duncan said.
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