Jan. 19-22: Wizard of Oz at SJCT - Slideshow added
Take the original story and music from the original motion picture, add a little steampunk to the costumes, a little modern technology to the set and some 60 local youth, and you have The Wizard of Oz, island- and SJCT-style. FHHS and FHMS Players present The Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum, adapted by John Kane directed by Jenni Merritt. A 75-year-old classic returns to the Whittier stage for the first time in 25 years. And it will have us all humming favorites like Over the Rainbow, Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead and If I Only had a Brain/Heart/Nerve.
In Kansas. Matt Pranger photos
Merritt, drama director for both Friday Harbor Middle School and Friday Harbor High School, chose The Wizard of Oz because she “wanted to do a musical that both kids and their parents would know, pulling everyone in.”
She also chose her first fully-staged musical as a director to include students from both schools, something that hasn’t been done for several years.
“I’d like this to become a norm every few years,” Merritt said. “High schoolers can help guide the younger students and be reminded at the same time what it’s like to be that age. Plus, there’s strength in numbers and this is a big musical.”
Merritt adds that she is drawn by the magic in the beloved musical and the message of seeing the good in where you live. So many islanders who grew up here (like herself), she says, can’t wait to move off island and then do eventually return, because “there’s no place like home.”
Performances:
Evenings
- Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. (admission price is pay what you can for this performance)
- Friday, January 20 at 7:30 pm
- Saturday, January 21 at 7:30 pm
Matinees
- Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, January 22 at 2 pm.
Tickets - Adults/$16; Student Reserved/$9; (Student Rush/$5 available at door only) - can be purchased online or at the box office.
Cast
- Jillian Urbach
- Emily Vogel
- Wilson Loucks
- Zach Fincher Eric Sable
- Claudio Ochoa
- Isabella Brown
- Chiara Power Zoe Steele
- Tawan Shaller
- Matthew Rice
- Alex McIntire Brandon Payne
- Ula Grace
- Aida Must
- Allie Fleming Alison Cole
- Annemarie Ryan
- Ava Smith
- Ayla Ridwan Dexter Prescott
- Elsedora Arendt
- Faith Embler
- Henry Holt Inga-C Harold
- Joely Loucks
- Joshua May
- Lucy Urbach Luke Fincher
- Olivia Brown
- Presley Clark Robin Taylor
- Talisen Kilpatrick-Boe
Production Crew:
- Jenni Merritt
- Jill Urbach
- Lisa Duke,Amanda Smith
- Carol Hooper
- Angel Michaels
- Melyssa Taylor
- Kendra Clifton
- Trinity Cullen
- Chris Hallock
- Cady Wilson
- Lauren Ayers
- Emily Fitts
- Lizzy Lee
- Becky Taylor
- Chelsy Gollen
- Cat Pignetello
- Iziah Daily
- Jack King
- Jack Knapik
- Jonah Strasbourger
- Libby Scott
- Luke Waite
- Malychi Wenberg
- Tiernan Clark
- Nick Copley
- Sander Van Hamersfeld
- Sam Daniels
- John Shaller
- Penelope Haskew
- Shane Merritt
- Greg Taylor
- Binny Haenel
- Jim Spain
- Heather Christensen
- Shaun Armstrong
- Mary Armstrong
- Jean Staben
- Debbi Fincher
- Brad Fincher
- Megan Kilpatrick-Boe
- Trudy Loucks
- April Embler
- Callie McKay
- Tina Smith
- Georgia Smith
- Emily Spain
- Becky Taylor
- Libby Concord
- Josh Boland