THE WIZARD OF OZ (RSC VERSION) 2004
“The Wizard Of Oz” was the second of our “back by popular demand presentations”, although this was a different version than the 1996 show. This version was that of the RSC adaptation (Royal Shakespeare Company) more closely based on the well-known film version. This provided us with some challenging technical tasks..... we brought in ZFX Flying Illusions (Las Vegas) again to help us not only with flying cast members, but with creating effects such as the ‘twister’, Glinda’s magical globe, the Wizard’s balloon basket, and the infamous Miss Gultch flying bicycle. What great fun this show was to do! The large orchestra gave us great music and, indeed, the whole supporting production team helped pull off this wonderful production.
I’ll let the messages from some of our audience members take it from here: “we were thoroughly entertained”. “a typical Yale production with quality evident everywhere - actors, musicians, sets, and costumes - it was first class”. “words cannot describe adequately the breathtaking “Wizard of Oz” performance that was so wonderfully played out”.....”we were spellbound by the acting, props, genius aerial segments, Toto, fabulous costumes...and the list goes on”.” I was delightfully entertained”.”the show was superb, as usual”. “It’s the best you’ve done and that’s saying something”.
Anecdotes: Yar Recned was a member of The Lullaby League and Winkies chorus, along with several Yale administration and staff.....what a site in giant sleeper suits!!!!! The usual reference to the “never act with children and dogs” theory saw Toto (Maggie) leap off the stage and go into the audience during a matinee to great shouts of delight from the young audience (even dogs can upstage!) Another night, Toto (Maggie) was walking offstage as she was supposed to but as she got to the side of the stage to go into the arms of her owners and trainers, did an about face and returned to the stage for an encore before running off the reverse side of the stage chased by her owners. Maggie had to “fly” during one scene but we were concerned she might fall from the arms of the Flying Monkeys.....we had a “stunt double” of Maggie made .... much to the disgust of the “real Maggie”. With the amount of technical ‘stuff’ we had in the production, it’s not surprising that there was the odd glitch.....one of the most memorable was the performance in which Glinda’s magic globe got stuck offstage...the actress started her lines offstage (some 15 feet in the air) and then, when the ‘fly crew” finally released the stuck globe, she hurtled at breakneck speed onto the stage......fortunately our actress soon recovered her composure despite her tiara residing at a bizarre angle!
see also: Memory Lane (Photos) - The Wizard Of Oz (2004)
