By Emily Innes, CollingwoodEnterprise-Bulletin
The Grade 11 drama class at Jean Vanier Catholic School will be performing “Someplace Wonderful”, an adaptation of the Wizard of Oz, from Dec. 6 until Jan. 11.
The students sing, dance, act and they even manage an offstage role throughout the production.
“It’s looking really nice,” Bradley Sinopoli, the stage manager, told the E-B during the final week of rehearsals. “Everybody is going to love it from ages six to 60.”
Sinopoli said the students began working behind the scenes on the production at the beginning of the school year and started learning their lines just over a month ago.
“With only three months to put on a performance you’ve got to work quickly,” he said.
“Someplace Wonderful” tells the same story of Dorothy, who follows the yellow brick road to find the wizard to help her get back to Kansas, but the production has been abridged to be performed in an hour.
Another adjustment is changing roles to fit the gender.
There’s only one male in the cast of 22 students, which meant changing some characters such as the Tin Man to the Tin Woman.
Teacher and director Julie Morin says having the students perform onstage and offstage roles encourages them to be very involved.
“It really teaches them teamwork and dedication,” she said. “These kids work so hard and are really putting together an awesome show that anybody will love.”
Some of the main roles are double-cast, such as Dorothy, which allows the students the opportunity to also do lighting or set changes.
Morin says the audience will be engaged and encouraged to sing along to tunes such as “Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead.”
On Dec. 13 and Jan. 10 starting at 5:30 p.m., the school is hosting Charity Pasta Dinner Nights with all the proceeds going to L'arche Homes, Mamma Zapora Orphanage, and Sleeping Children Around the World. Tickets need to be reserved in advance by calling 705-445-2043 ext. 116 and asking for Mrs. Hadley. The performance will begin at 7 p.m.
The Matinee shows in 2012 are Dec. 6 at 9:30 a.m.; Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m.; Dec. 10 at 10:30 a.m.; Dec 12 at 10:30 a.m.; and Dec. 13 at 10:30 a.m. In 2013, the dates are Jan. 8, 10:30 a.m.; Jan. 9 at 2 p.m.; Jan. 10 at 10:30 a.m.; and Jan. 11 at 10:20 a.m.
