There have been several performances by BIA students in the past years, but none as great as the one we put up in the year 2008! Starting in the second semester when the class was introduced, our Musical Theater students have been working ever so arduously to memorize lines, familiarize themselves with their characters, and just plain acting! In addition to the fine work the Musical Theater class has invested into this production, thanks must also be dealt out to the Art class for creating the props and backdrops. Those also in need of mention include: Dr. and Mrs. Spurgin for financially supporting the play, Mrs. Van Geldern for doing a wonderful job as the director, Katsumune Washitani for stepping in as stage manager, the cast and crew, and many others for various contributions!
So first of all, for those of you who unfortunately don't already know the storyline of The Wizard of Oz, here's a quick little walkthrough.
Dorothy Gale is a cute country girl who lives with her aunt and uncle in Kansas. She has a small dog named Toto that she holds dear to herself. However, Toto has stirred up some trouble by getting Miss Gulch, the typical "hated-by-everyone" character, angry at him to the extent that she threatens to have him put down. Dorothy and Toto eventually escape the evil clutches of Miss Gulch by running away. However, when a self-proclaimed psychic tells her that her aunt is in pain, she returns home. At this point, a huge twister has formed near her house, and as everyone else is taking shelter, Dorothy hides in the house. As it is easily lifted by the fierce winds, Dorothy soon finds herself having been thrown into a very different world.
To make a long story short, in this new world, Dorothy embarks on a journey to travel to the Emerald City. She meets the Wizard of Oz, confronts the Wicked Witch of the West, makes lasting friendships, and ultimately returns home safely.
Lots of blood and sweat was put into the production of this play, and here's a little taste of what you may have seen on a regular day of practice in the Musical Theater classroom or in the theater of the ABC building on the UB campus.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Here the cast finally got to dress up as their characters for a little photoshoot. This was in the early stages of the play, before a couple of roles were changed around, but they still had lots of fun in costume!
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |