Steampunk twist to an old classic!

            For Our Family, summer officially begins with Memorial Day's concert at the SCERA Shell.  This year was no exception as we enjoyed the Acappella Supershow featuring the top three recent winners from the hit TV show "The Sing-Off".  If you missed it, you missed out!

            This is just the beginning of many more trips to the shell during the summer, including concerts, plays and outdoor movies on the big screen.  Starting June 8, you can see a new twist on an old classic:

SCERA’s “Wizard of Oz” presented in 

Back to the Future Steampunk Style 

Although not a word has been changed for the first musical of the summer season at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre, their upcoming production of the family classic “The Wizard of Oz” is being given a unique twist.

            Director Jeremy Showgren is borrowing heavily from steampunk, a recent fashion and entertainment movement that takes futuristic elements and places them in the past. He takes Dorothy’s dream, where the magic of Oz unfolds, and provides glimpses of the future.

            “At the time of the story, the industrial movement was under way, so I’m adding a lot of metal work, gears, clocks and trains,” Showgren explains. “Think of Sherlock Holmes and his guns and the television series, “Wild, Wild West” with its gadgets. It’s like placing the future in the past.”

The inspiration for the set comes from an early 20^th century train station and much of it resembles steel that has been oxidized into the kind of green seen on the Statue of Liberty. And the witch’s castle, for example, resembles the old factories from that period.

“As Dorothy’s dream begins, we are in Kansas, but during the musical, elements of Kansas are removed so by the end of the show there are very few traces of home—and Dorothy realizes how much she misses it,” Showgren adds.

            “The Wizard of Oz” will open June 8 and run through June 23, with performances at 8 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children 3 to 11, seniors 65 and older and students with identification. Patrons should bring a blanket or rent a chair for $1.00.  Reserved sections range from $12 to $14 for adults and $10 and $12 for children, seniors and students.

            In a magic land that imbues a scarecrow, tin man and cowardly lion with human characteristics and where evil is personified in a nasty green witch, Dorothy comes to learn that there is no place like home.

            “This show has been an amazingly gratifying collaboration, and I credit the production staff with creating an innovative look and feel,” Showgren says. The director, who is also serving as musical director, is supported by choreographer Kellie Messerly, lighting designer James Larsen, set designer Casey Price, props designer Sheri Stakebake and costume designer Kelsey Seaver.

            The costumes bring out the steampunk style as well, with the Tin Man’s costume full of gears, nuts and bolts; and the witch’s dress designed with fabric cut-out gears and lots of metal.  Dorothy’s traditional blue gingham dress is enhanced with an old-fashioned corset and red bedazzled boots. 

            Performing major roles are Jessica Sundwall as Dorothy; Shoni Winkel as the wicked witch; Lauren Anderson as Glinda, the good witch; and Mark Gordon, Travis Hancock and Philip Varney as the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. The legendary Wizard of Oz will be played by Marc Haddock and a dog named Abby is Toto. Other players will take multiple roles to portray munchkins, dancing trees, flying monkeys, poppies, crows and other characters.

            “Those who come will see an awesome spin on a classic story, where kids will be swept away to a world of imagination somewhere over the rainbow and adults can see the show done in new, more modern way.” Showgren says.