Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts was greeted with a plethora of children and their families who were ready to take the journey down the yellow brick road Sunday afternoon.
The American Family Theatre performed the timeless tale of the "Wizard of Oz," but put their own twist on the classic story. Children of all ages came to see the kid friendly play and were certainly ready to go to Oz. Many kids arrived wearing Dorothy or Tin man costumes, and there was even a Glinda in the crowd. Some little girls may not have been in full costume, but were sure to wear their ruby red slippers to the event.
The play opened up and the audience was greeted by the three farmhands who worked on Auntie Em's farm in Kansas. The characters asked for the audience's involvement in cheery song that included hand-clapping and feet-stomping.
As the story developed the viewers heard an original song sung by Auntie Em called "Soups On." Soon afterwards Dorothy was heard singing a song, about a place over the rainbow. This was not the classic song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" but it was a more of an upbeat, doo-wop-ish, silly song. All the characters got involved as they banged on soup bowls and Dorothy sang and pranced around stage.
The twister came - and so did Glinda, the good witch - but there was no sight of the munchkins. The little people of Munchkinland were not part of this adaptation of the "Wizard of Oz."
Dorothy was then greeted by her first of three new friends, the Scarecrow. He was heard singing "I'm terribly, terribly dumb," in his quest for a brain.
Dorothy and the Scarecrow soon met up with the Tin man and the Cowardly Lion. They followed the yellow brick road up until they came to Oz only to be sent back on a journey to find the Wicked Witch and bring back her broom to the great and powerful Oz.
The story went on as the audience had hoped, the four friends defeat the witch (she melts, of course) and Dorothy clicks her heels all the way back to Kansas.
The shortened version of the play was enjoyed by the young and old. The absence of the flying monkeys, munchkins and Toto (he was not present with Dorothy as she traveled to Oz) did not seem to bother the crowd. Children could be heard laughing through out the show and gasping at the sight of the green-faced Wicked Witch.
"The length was appropriate, any longer the kids would have lost interest," said Sheri Giancarlo of Lebanon.
Giancarlo was expecting the typical songs, like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" but she enjoyed the new versions.
Cindi Sounthonevat, 2nd-semester pre-med major and Jorgensen employee, watched the show.
"It was pretty good for a kids show. The characters did a good job," Sounthonevat said.
She thought the set was good, and that the production did a good job with what they were given, referring to the simple stage design.
Contact Kimberley Primicerio at Kimberley.Primicerio@UConn.edu.
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