The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at CIS

Arts 16 Mar 2016

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at CIS

By CIS Communications

Photograph by CIS Communications

by Tracy Potter, producer of the Wizard of Oz -

“Everything you were looking for was right there with you all along.” - the Wizard of Oz

These wise words, spoken by principal actor Jeremiah Neoh, sum up the experiences for the cast, crew and audiences of The Wizard of Oz. On 2, 3 and 4 March, audiences were wowed by this year’s Secondary musical production, which challenged students to uncover new skills, use their creative talents and work collaboratively with teachers and one another.

With CIS Lakeside’s growing numbers in the Secondary School, the time had come for a musical to be performed solely by students in grades 7-10. After much consideration, the CIS Arts department decided on a stage production of the The Wizard of Oz. Director Warren Baumgart and Assistant Director Jasmine Buckingham took on the challenge of leading students in a new direction, with a musical that relied on singing, acting, and dancing, and further raised the stakes by featuring live music and incorporating student decision-making in every aspect of the production.

Originally a novel, the Wizard of Oz has been interpreted in many ways in print, on stage and on screen. In the 1939 movie version that features Judy Garland as Dorothy, several scenes were cut from the final product, including the song and dance the Jitterbug. When choosing which adaptation to put on stage, our students decided to interpret the famous movie version but to also include the lost Jitterbug segment.

Student actors and dancers rehearsed for many hours to perfect the Jitterbug scene, where a group of endlessly jiving jitterbugs enchant the characters of Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion to take part in their dance, before being bombarded by the flying monkeys. Grade 8 student Filippa Thorling worked alongside Music Director Sandra Stipic to choreograph the flamboyant dance scene with her troupe of dancers and actors. The result was a heel-tapping delight for audiences and was one of the highlights of the show.

Another treat was the inclusion of live music, a first at CIS Lakeside. A group of dedicated Secondary School musicians practiced diligently for months to add their beautiful interludes to the classic soundtrack.

Like all productions, there was just as much going on beyond the curtains as there was on the stage. However, the degree of student participation and use of IB skills behind the scenes was staggering. Leading up to the show, teams of students helped design and create the spectacular sets, with a yellow brick road that extended well beyond the stage. Promotional materials, like a digital magazine and a video, were made by secondary students to promote ticket sales, which were also sold by pupils. On production nights, students skillfully aided actors with multiple costume, hair and makeup changes. Student directors, stage managers, crew, and sound and lighting technicians worked their magic to showcase the incredible talents of the principal cast Madeline Hill, Toby Ireson, Zildjian Boon, Angus Poppleton, Haizea Garate and Sofia Moreno. Even actor Lukasz Latuszek completely interpreted and created his highly physical role as Toto.

Under the guidance of a host of dedicated teachers, these CIS students were risk-takers who learnt by doing. For most of the students, these experiences were new and completely out of their comfort zone, but they used problem solving skills, creativity and teamwork to produce a wonderful experience for the audience, and they will carry with them great pride in knowing they helped make something spectacular.

Wizard of Oz