ST GEORGE — Utah is experiencing what feels like its first true spring in ages. Wet, cool weather, with plants blossoming, and no late-season snow to speak of. As the weather warms up, the true telltale sign of summer is out door theatre, and few do it as well as Tuacahn. UTBA’s first review of their outdoor summer season begins with Tuesday night’s performance of The Wizard of Oz . Created by L. Frank Baum with music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, the musical is the well known story of Dorothy travelling the yellow brick road with her faithful dog Toto and three amicable if flawed companions who must save her and allow her to return to Kansas.
Patrons nearby discussed the impressive realism of the wind blown leaves and lazily waving powerlines broadcast on the massive video wall that served as a backdrop for so much of the show. Bryce Cutler’s projection design set the stage immediately and was exceptional in other key moments of the show such as the windstorm that brings Dorothy to Oz and the field of poppies that puts her to sleep. Nate Bertone’s scenic design was strong, functional, and featured a lovely yellow brick road that came to life with a fun practical stage effect and allowed it to disappear just as neatly when returning from Oz to Kansas.
Ryan Moller had the daunting task creating costumes that were true to the iconic style audiences expect from the 1939 Judy Garland film while finding nuance and detail that told the story of these characters with greater efficacy. I think Moller excelled here, particularly in the costume of the Tin Man that, unlike many iterations, showed clear signs of rust and decay on the Tin Man. He also navigated the need for quick changes for Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man that took less than 10 seconds to put them into Winky Guard garb. Supported with equipment from Flying by Foy, Paul Rubin choreographed some truly breath taking flight sequences including the expected (Witches on Brooms, bad neighbors on bikes), and some even more impressive like a Glinda Bubble reminiscent of Wicked and Dorothy being carried off by a flying monkey through the audience. While there was excellent technical work from all standard elements (lighting, sound, stage management, props, makeup/hair, etc.) these were clear standouts.
One technical element, however, stood out above them all. I have demonstrated through writing over and over and over and over and over my love for exceptional puppetry. This was a play that had marvelous puppets. One of the most impressive, as one would expect, was the massive head of Oz which required multiple people to operate, featured flames you could feel in the closer rows, and was impressively crafted and manipulated. The other, however, were full body puppets for the trees that throw apples at Dorothy. It wasn’t just that they moved their arms, blinked and could open mouths. That’s solid puppetry for a 12-foot tree. What really impressed me was that the puppets could pick up and throw massive apple props a fairly good distance. That level of manipulation, to grab and throw, at that scale and in real time without the benefit of cinematography tricks, was stunning. Theatres across the country should be contracting Scott Molampy for a renaissance of great puppeteering. Truly spectacular work.
I know it’s a high bar to clear, but with so much masterful stagecraft, there were two duds that left me, and other audience members, chuckling. The first was the hourglass counting down Dorothy’s impending doom. While so many props and sets were larger than life and impressive, this one was—in a word—not. When the stakes are high and a character shouts that the hour glass is almost empty, you’d imagine it might be, but it wasn’t. The other oddity was having the Wizard get into a balloon basket, after seeing so much technical mastery, with nothing happen when he is supposedly flying away. All that occurred that night was a light change, a line from Dorothy, and then an awkward exit. In any other context, the functionality of these two choices would be more than enough. However with so many other magical things going on, these two felt less like the wizard and more like the man behind the curtain.
Mollie-Claire Matthews was an exceptional Dorothy. Her smaller stature played well in this role, but what was more impressive was the excellent body control she had as a mover and dancer. Theatre at the scale of Tuacahn’s outdoor amphitheater requires big choices and Matthews delivered. She had a ringing clear voice that was worthy of the garlands people hope to offer in praise with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, and she was funny in contemporary ways with key line deliveries. Walking the wire of nostalgia and modernization is tough with a role so known as Dorothy, and Matthews crushed it. Stellar job.
The supporting characters were strong as well. Eric B. Anthony, who seemed to be trained in clowning with his impressive floppy movements as the Scarecrow, was delightful and fun to watch. His flamboyance and eccentricity brought interesting life to the character. Nick Berninger played the Lion straight out of the MGM film with the similar sounding sobs and tail-swish mannerisms. He had a strong voice and good stage presence. I was truly taken with Fred Inkley’s portrayal of Professor Marvel and the Wizard. Marvel has a long monologue when trying to tell Dorothy’s fortune, and Inkley made it feel incredibly fresh and in the moment. This was supported by good reactions by Mathews, but Inkley had a strong sense of the Marvel character that made him a concerned showman rather than an off-putting oddity. The youth ensemble of dancers who featured in the Munchkinland Sequence were highly engaged and skilled.
Toto, played by a real dog named Mr. Baum, was incredibly well-behaved and handled with great care by all entrusted to him. I loved the moments where Matthews had treats ready after impressive tricks. Baum delivered lines well (truly, barking or not at the right times) and seems to be a very good boy.
Robbie Roby’s choreography held up well. My usual measure of choreography is asking how well it balances the line between challenging and clean. This is especially true when mixing equity actors and youth performers – a truly unfair match at times. Roby, however, set his cast up for success with formations that worked well to feature and highlight all dancers in the ensembles as well as choreography that was challenging without overreaching.
All of this amounts to a strong performance that was tightly cohesive. Michael Heitzman blended the traditional and contemporary well. He was able to mix old and young, Kansas and Oz, and all of the many stirring technical elements together well in a way that felt unified, and engaging. The tempo was good with no overly long sequences, but moments that required stillness being allowed to breathe. This, of course, is also a major credit to Maestro Daniel Molllett whose live orchestra was exceptionally clear, beautiful and additive throughout.
After 30 years of stories, Tuacahn has become synonymous with professional actors and talent, high level stage effects, impressive live orchestration, and over the top technical elements and design set that make for magical, family friendly entertainment framed in the majestic red rocks of Ivins, Utah. This production of Wizard of Oz once again soared through so many of these mile stones.
Summer Festival reviews are made possible by a grant from the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks program.
