SYRACUSE — There’s no place like home… towns to see good theatre. The Wizard of Oz, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, played July 16-20 at Syracuse High School presented by the Syracuse City Arts Council. The musical was adapted from L. Frank Baum’s novel of the same name, written in 1902. The musical is a well-known, well-loved story. Directed by Heather Ganus and LeAnna Hamblin, the Syracuse City Arts Council put on a perfect production that showcased the many talents in their community. As the production journeyed through Oz, there was plenty of opportunity for each cast member to shine, and the cast and crew rose to the occasion.
This timeless adventure was well-led by Shaylee Fry, playing Dorothy Gale. Fry’s classic take on the character was charming, nostalgic, and beautifully executed. Starting off the show on a strong note, Fry’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” invited the audience to step into a fantastical world that unfolded on stage. In that single song, Fry captivated the audience, leaving theatregoers asking what lies over the rainbow.
The answer was talent and dedication. Each newly introduced character was as interesting and committed as the last. Every cast member took their moment to shine, and did the most with it to engage the audience. The adorable Lollipop Guild was noticeable for the exceptional engagement and performance. The endearing Cowardly Lion, played by Bryson Wanner, made especially strong acting choices and captured the audience’s heart.
This cast’s biggest strength was in their vocals that were consistently clear and pitch perfect. While the occasional blips in harmonies and timing did happen, the solos and small group numbers quickly recovered and restored the momentum. Each solo number throughout the production was executed skillfully and with heart.
The choreography by Jaycie Montano was exciting and larger-than-life. With a large cast of all ages, accompanied by a live orchestra, numbers like the “Munchkin Musical Sequence” became quite the spectacle. Individual talents within the cast were highlighted with breakout dance solos, gymnastics, and intensive choreography for several numbers. “Jitterbug” combined all these elements of cast skill, costumes and choreography to excite and entertain the audience in a fantastic way. However, the lyrical dance breaks during the twister scenes appeared slightly disjointed and under-rehearsed in comparison to other numbers.
The exciting costumes were bright, colorful and incredibly executed. This was a major feat with such an array of outlandish characters appearing onstage. Chelsea Echeverria took full advantage of each opportunity to designed these costumes and incorporating elements that were familiar and new. No character and no moment on stage was ignored by costuming. The sets, designed by Marradon Nettleship featured a rotating array of oversized, whimsically painted, flats and stairs. The costumes and sets worked together to take the audience into a dream-like world.
With so many outstanding aspects of the show, the biggest standout was the impeccably thought through details! There were so many components that added to the spectacle of the production. The details in this production took patrons right down the yellow brick road and straight into Oz from entering a fully decorated lobby, to the bubbles that appeared at Glinda’s exit. There was clear collaboration across the board to make the experience so immersive. Before the show even started, the audience was drawn in by a stage flooded in emerald green and a live orchestra tuning. During the production the large, traveling Oz head featured working puppetry and glowing green eyes. It took a whole team to attend to each detail making the overall production very engrossing.
After noting many of the strengths of this production, the production would have benefited from additional refinements. The biggest pitfall of the production was pacing. This three hour long production could have been tightened up with more familiarity with lines and the script, working out some kinks with tech and sound, as well as tightening up some blocking choices that stopped the flow of dialogue. With that being said, it’s exciting to see such an ensemble piece come together so beautifully, through community collaboration and love for the art. This production truly is a testament that community theatre can take you over the rainbow into an exciting new world.
MORE INFO: THE WIZARD OF OZ with The Syracuse City Arts Council closed on July 20th, 2026. All performance played at Syracuse High School ((2000 W 1425 S, Syracuse, UT 84075). For more information on future events and performances by The Syracuse City Arts Council, visit syracuseutaharts.org
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TIKTOK!
If you’re a director, producer or marketing contact who would like to have us review your show, please fill out this form.
If you have comments about this article, please fill out this form.