The Wizard of Oz at HCT

Last night I saw The Wizard of Oz, which is quite possibly the biggest and most ambitious show ever produced by Hale Theatre! It is an awesome spectacle, using all of the bells and whistles afforded by the new stage! This version of the L. Frank Baum book is very much informed by the 1939 film of the same name and tells the familiar story of how Dorothy Gale (Lexi Walker) lands, literally, in the fantastical world of Oz and how the Scarecrow (Jordan Dahl), the Tin Man (Preston Taylor), and the Cowardly Lion (Dustin Bolt) help her get to the Wizard (B.J. Whimpey), hoping that he can get her back to Kansas, while avoiding the Wicked Witch of the West (Carolyn Hartvigsen), who wants her sister's ruby slippers back. I have to be honest and say that I have seen a few productions of the stage musical and I vastly prefer the movie but I thought this was a lot of fun. Lexi Walker gives an incredible performance and her rendition of "Over the Rainbow" will definitely give you goosebumps. Dahl, Taylor, and Bolt are amazing dancers and they each have a moment to shine in "If I Only Had A Brain," "If I Only Had A Heart," and "If I Only Had A Nerve," respectively. I was especially impressed with Dahl's acrobatics. The costumes are spectacular and the sheer number of them created for this show is mind-boggling! I particularly loved Glinda's (Eden Benson) glittering gown and the Wicked Witch's cape of raven feathers. The special effects are dazzling, especially the tornado and the scenes with the Wizard! The Wicked Witch (and her monkeys) fly all around the stage, beautiful aerialists represent the snow in the poppy field, and Glinda's floating bubble is epic. My only complaint is that the pacing seems a bit off because some scenes went on for much too long, especially in Act II. However, it is very early in the run and I am sure things will tighten up. This would be a perfect holiday show for families (go here for tickets) and I recommend it.