Wizards behind Dalton production of ‘Wizard of Oz’ re-create movie magic

Dalton’s Artistic Civic Theatre’s version of “The Wizard of Oz” features such scenery as a freaky poppy field, irate apple trees and a portable yellow brick road. Here, Munchkins Emely Aguirre of the Lullaby League and Rhett Simmons of the Lollipop Guild greet Dorothy. They’re among 50 children in the double-cast play.

The ginormous, terrifying head of the Wizard of Oz had to fit onto the Artistic Civic Theatre of Dalton’s stage, which is wide but not very deep. Volunteers built the menacing head in several parts – two separate eyes, a giant forehead and nose, jaws and lips – and each part moves by itself when manipulated by puppeteers hiding behind it. The human man pretending to be the Wizard will bellow through a microphone as a smoke machine billows a supernatural fog around the head. Oh, and the head is wired so it glows in the dark.

In the beloved classic movie, that floating smoky head horrified Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion. And artistic director Tim Etheridge is delighted that kids watching ACT’s version will also be thrilled and chilled.

“It’s a scary head but in a goofy way, with its eyes twirling and its jaw snapping,” he says, laughing. “This is literally the stage version of the movie. The same songs, scenes and characters are all here. Part of the fun for guests who’ve seen the movie is seeing how we figured out how to do a scene. The play’s director, Jessica Brinkley, had a very creative approach.”

There is no fly space, so there are no wires for monkeys and witches to zoom through. But Brinkley had an idea. A key light slices through the theater darkness to spotlight the witch when she pops up cackling in unexpected rafters and behind the audience. The monkeys won’t fly but still look eerie with their black wings and uniforms that resemble hockey jerseys.