DIS

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 20, 2016
8| Playbill
At a Glance:
WHAT: “Wizard of Oz”
WHERE: Forster Auditorium, Central
Lyon High School, Rock Rapids, IA
WHEN: Feb. 26-28
COST: Tickets are $12 for adults, $8
for students and seniors are $10
CONTACT: 712-472-3456
ONLINE: Find them on Facebook
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
Click your
Ruby
Cast:
Here’s a partial cast list for the
River Valley Players’ production
of “Wizard of Oz.”
Abby Trei: Dorothy
Rochelle Ebel: Aunt Em, Tree,
Ozian
Dan Kroon: Uncle Henry, Tinman
Terry Van Berkum: Hunk, Scarecrow
Scott Van Aartsen: Zeke, Cowardly
Lion
Kristal Drenth: Miss Gulch, West
Witch
Willie Van Roekel: Prof. Marvel,
Wizard of Oz
Janelle Flatebo: Glinda
Otis: Toto (Kansas scenes)
Matthew Elbert: Toto
Sheila Maxwell: Tree, Emerald
City Guard
Rebecca Rasmussen: Winkie
General, Tree, Ozian
Orchestra:
Ann Langholdt, Piano
Mark Swartz, Bass
Schuyler Noteboom, Percussion
Kathy Van Berkum, Flute
Sherwin Langholdt, Trombone
Shayne Mayer, Bass Clarinet /
Clarinet
Drew Balta, Trumpet
“Wizard of Oz” on stage
with River Valley Players
The River Valley Players of Rock
Rapids are inviting you to take a
trip down the yellow brick road.
This community theatre organization
is taking on one of the most
popular stories of the last century.
The River Valley Players will be performing
the L. Frank Baum version of
“Wizard of Oz” on Feb. 26-28. Shows
on Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb.
27 will take place at 7:30 p.m. and on
Sunday, Feb. 28, the show will begin
at 2 p.m.
The show will take place in the Forster
Auditorium at Central Lyon High
School in Rock Rapids.
This version of the the show was
selected for a number of reasons, according
to the show’s director Marilee
Schleusner.
“This is the ‘Wizard of Oz’ version
that was performed by the Royal
Shakespeare Company and is sort
of like the movie,” Schleusner said.
“There are more opportunities in this
version to feature the chorus, which
will give those people more of a
chance to be on stage.”
Getting all of the 80-some cast
members on stage is no small feat.
“This is a really community-oriented
production. Our cast is made up
of people who are all ages anywhere
from seven years old to people in their
60s,” Schleusner said. “The fun part
of doing this show with community
theater is that adults and kids alike get
to use their imaginations to become
these characters.”
The adults in the show are playing
most of the lead roles and the school
age actors are rounding out the cast
by playing a variety of roles such as
munchkins or flying monkeys.
One special role will actually have
two different actors portraying the
character. One human and the other
actor is of the canine variety.
“While Dorothy is in Kansas, Toto
will be played a live dog and when she
is transported to Oz, then Toto will be
played by a person,” Schleusner said.
“It will be fun to see the live dog on
stage.”
They started rehearsals on Jan. 4
and have been practicing three days a
week ever since for the big debut.
One of the most fun parts about doing
this musical has been sharing the
story with a new generation, according
to Schleusner.
“Almost everyone knows the ‘Wizard
of Oz,’ so we’ve had lots of people
step up to help out who might not
have with other performances,” Schleusner
said. “Even though this show
is so well loved there are some of the
little ones who didn’t actually know
the show. So it’s been fun to share it
with them.”
They are also excited to share this
beloved story with you. It’s an open
invitation to join them on a trip down
the yellow brick road. F
Rock Rapids | Iowa