The Wizard of Oz

The past few weeks have been awful not just for me but for many others especially those who were hit badly by the floods brought about by the horrible weather. Personally, I longed for something that would enable me to relax, unwind and forget all the worries and cares even for just a couple of hours. That’s why it was such a relief that Repertory Philippines’ The Wizard of Oz provided exactly what I need at the time. And after the show was over, I felt that I was ready to go back to the real world and face it with more vigor compared to how I felt before the show.

This stage version of The Wizard of Oz is an adaptation of the classic novel by L. Frank Baum about a young girl named Dorothy who was whisked off by a tornado into the magical land of Oz. Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion and they join together to journey down the yellow brick road to Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz so that she can finally go home and that the others get what they wish for. But the Wicked Witch of the West has other plans for Dorothy and her friends. This staging of The Wizard of Oz is the Prince Street Players’ Version with adaptation, book, and lyrics by Jim Eiler, and music by Jim Eiler and Jeanne Bargy. Those expecting the MGM movie version or any other stage adaptations out there may be disappointed at first but once they see the opening sequence projected on the screen and sit through the whole show, they’ll forget about their initial disappointment.

Cara Barredo, Liesl Batucan with other cast members

I doubt that anyone one will be disappointed by the fine performance of the cast. During the press preview that I was able to see at Onstage over at Greenbelt 1, the cast members in that particular performance included Cara Barredo as Dorothy Gale, James Stacey as Scarecrow, Hans Eckstein as Tin Man, Oliver Usison as Lion, Pinky Marquez as the Wicked Witch of the West, Liesl Batucan as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South and Rem Zamora as Secretary to Oz/Uncle Henry. The cast stuck to the classic portrayal of the roles ditching any radical interpretations and provided strong vocals during their song numbers. I think that Pinky Marquez as the Wicked Witch of the West along with the Winged Monkeys could potentially scare the younger kids in the audience but she did have a couple moments that could send these same kids gasping in awe. I was very amused when I realized that Liesl Batucan’s portrayal of Glinda reminded me of cotton candy. Speaking of sweets, the Munchkins’ costumes designed by Raven Ong along with the sets created by Lex Marcos felt like the stage was transformed into a candy store. Rem Zamora performs another role on certain performances which I think could match his unforgettable performance in Bare: A Pop Opera some months ago.

Pinky Marquez, Liesl Batucan and Cara Barredo

The songs in this version of the musical were all very pleasant to the ear, even the songs by the Wicked Witch of the West which was supposed to be menacing. Probably the most memorable song from the show was So Far, So Good, a tune that recurred throughout the musical. And it kept on recurring on my mind even after I’ve left the theater. Some of the songs though didn’t have that much of a recall factor compared to So Far, So Good.

With kids nowadays focusing more on getting more and more engrossed on the online and virtual world, Repertory Philippines specifically REP Children’s Theater (or RCT) and its production of The Wizard of Oz provides a great alternative for kids to be entertained and have fun. It’s an excellent way for them to experience live entertainment with actual interaction that can never be duplicated by the most advanced gadgets in existence. And without knowing it, they are learning valuable life lessons in the whole theater experience.

RCT Artistic Director Joy Virata thanks everybody

Right after the preview performance, a surprise number was presented in celebration of RCT’s 20^th year anniversary. Current and past cast members from previous RCT shows performed excerpts from past productions to honor Joy Virata, RCT’s artistic director and also the director of The Wizard of Oz. I felt a bit bad that RCT has been in existence for 20 years (and Rep Philippines for 45 years) and it’s only just recently that I got active in watching their shows. But it’s never too late for me to catch up since they still have one more show left for this season.

For those who want to catch The Wizard of Oz, the show runs up to December 16, 2012 at Onstage, Greenbelt 1. For more details and other inquiries, please call 571-6926 or 571-4941 or email info@repertory.ph or log on to www.repertory.ph. Tickets are also available through TicketWorld at 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.