With an eager cast of 40 students the Walpole High School Drama Club is gearing up for their Winter Musical: “The Wiz”. This show provides the timeless tale of “The Wizard of Oz” with an urban twist. Originally performed with an all-black cast on Broadway in 1975 and eventually made into a motion picture starring celebrities such as Diana Ross, Richard Pryor, and Michael Jackson, this show is sure to attract crowds on name-value alone when it is performed on March 12 and 13 in the Walpole High School auditorium.
The show stars senior Tess Staley as Dorothy, senior Dave Frizzell as The Scarecrow, sophomore Evan Parsons as The Tin Man, freshman Michael McKeon as The Lion and sophomore Rebecca Chariton as Toto. Other leading roles consist of senior Meg Anchukaitis as The Wiz, senior Meredith Barry as Glinda, senior Sabrina Dorronsoro as Addeperle and junior Emma Batting as Evillene. With a predominantly senior cast this performance is sure to showcase the seasoned talents of the seniors for their last musical performance at Walpole High School.
Despite the experience of this predominantly older cast, the drama club has other challenges facing them in the coming weeks. Since the cast lists were posted in January, the cast has been attending practices 5 times a week, where they review music, choreograph dances, and block scenes. However, due to the ever-increasing snow, the club is losing rehearsals left and right, and with show dates quickly approaching, rehearsals will need to be put into high-gear to make up for lost time.
Music director Mrs. Lynda Maccini-Pavloff is confident the cast will make the necessary adjustments. She said, “These snow days have been hitting us hard, but the cast is working diligently at every chance they get. The songs have been coming along really well, the acting is great, and the dances are where they need to be. I’m sure the cast will pull off another great show.”
With impressive ticket-sales for winter shows the past two years, the Drama Club expects tickets will go quickly for this funky crowd-pleaser. “‘The Wiz’ is a great show with a lot of fun and funky numbers,” said senior Meg Anchukaitis. “I just hope that the crowd will love watching the show as much as we love performing it.”
The musical features fun numbers such as “Ease on Down the Road”, soulful numbers such as “I Was Born on the Day before Yesterday”, and funky numbers such as “She’s The Wiz” together making up an extremely eclectic music selection. With the heart-warming message of self-acceptance and the power of friendship, “The Wiz” should provide a feel-good family show with fun music to keep the audience dancing in their seats. The Drama Club hopes to see a large crowd “Ease on Down the Road” to the Walpole High School auditorium on Saturday March 12 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday March 13 at 3:00 p.m. for their two performances.
