Theater company Palo Alto Players is putting its own spin on the classic American tale “The Wizard of Oz” in a production scheduled to run Thursday through Nov. 19 at the Lucie Stern Theatre.
The costumes will reflect fashion trends from the late- 20th century, according to staff, and the character of the Scarecrow will be played by two actors. The cast-dubbed “scare pair” consists of a scarecrow who will deliver the character’s lines in American Sign Language (ASL) and a crow that will voice them for the audience.
This will be the first Palo Alto Players production featuring a Deaf actor, said Melissa Momboisse, the company’s marketing associate.
Palo Alto Players will also stage several accessible performances, including two ASL-interpreted shows, a relaxed and all-inclusive performance in partnership with the Magical Bridge Foundation.
With a 27-person cast directed by Stacey Reed, the show is predicted to run two hours, 30 minutes with an intermission.
The theater company’s previous show, a production of “Matilda,” was the most attended performance in the organization’s 93 seasons, a Palo Alto Players press release reported. And with only six weeks between the first rehearsal and opening night, the cast of “Wizard” is putting on the follow-up show at full tilt.
Local talent
The show will feature several Los Altos actors, including Barbara Heninger, who will play the Wicked Witch of the West. “Wizard” is Heninger’s second production with Palo Alto Players, and she is in the process of auditioning for a third show.
Heninger, who serves on the board of directors for the South Bay Musical Theatre company, said that growing up, Margaret Hamilton’s performance as the Wicked Witch in the original movie was the only portrayal of women with prominent noses like hers in the media.
“I’ve been ready to play this character since I was about 12,” she said.
To prepare for the role, Heninger said she reread L. Frank Baum’s biography and perfected the intonation of the Wicked Witch’s key lines.
“Every performer brings their own self into it. That’s why theater’s never absolutely the same,” she said. “So, I might sound like Margaret Hamilton, I might do some things like she did. But I’m not thinking about her. I’m doing it with whatever part of me is a witch.”
Libby Einav, another Los Altos actor and one of the production’s two rotating Dorothys, said she thinks the audience will appreciate that the show features a live puppy as Dorothy’s lovable sidekick, Toto.
Einav, 15, is a sophomore at The Nueva School in San Mateo. She started her musical theater journey when her mother put her in dance classes to help her build confidence, and “Wizard” is her first adult production.
“It’s a show built for everyone,” Einav said. “The yellow brick road is like a symbol for life. I think our production emphasizes that, and (it) really showcases the ups and downs.”
A pick-your-price preview night is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The opening-night show is slated 7:30 p.m. Friday. With the exception of the first weekend, future shows are scheduled 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 19. There will be a free matinee for students 11 a.m. Nov. 9, funded by the Rotary Club of Palo Alto.
Tickets are $30-$57, after the pick-your-price preview night.
For tickets and more information, call (650) 329-0891 or visit bit.ly/3rTTtht.
