The Wizard of Oz, one of golden age cinema’s most timeless classics, arrived at South Coast Repertory Theater in Costa Mesa from August 10 to 18. Fans had the chance to see one of their favorite musicals on stage in a production run by director Hisa Takakuwa. “I think this story and the score have a distinctively deep connection in all of us,” Takakuwa said.

Originally a book written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, The Wizard of Oz became one of the most notorious stories the world has ever known. When it became a film in 1939, it stole the hearts of audiences who saw the journey of Dorothy Gale and her adventures in Oz. The film’s glorious design, breathtaking music and inspiring message turned it into a memorable tale that fans still can’t get enough after more than 100 years.

The director said that S.C.R’s production stayed true to the film, but there were some surprises for audiences as well. “We are definitely trying to honor that script and the feel of the score, so we are basing our world in the ‘30s rather than the earlier period in which the books were written. That said, we have an amazing team of professional designers that are creating a fun and original world.”

Some surprises that audiences discovered included Toto the dog, who was puppeteered and played by a human actor (played by PJ Giglia). There was also the infamous Jitterbug sequence — which was cut from the original film. With some adjustments here and there, the story continued its legacy of love, peril and hope. “We all want an adventure and to escape sometimes, right?” Takakuwa said. “To go to a fantastic and magical place that challenges us, but teaches us that our best truths and strengths are already there within us.”

Music director Erin McNally said that she and Takakuwa wanted to make the score for this production as close to the film as possible. As a teaching artist and music director, this was something that McNally felt was important for the show. “I believe the film has one of the most iconic scores with some of the most lush orchestrations ever created,” she said. “Just hearing the first opening chords of the score gives me the chills! Giving our students the opportunity to work on this incredible piece of music is something that appealed to me, not only as a music director, but as an educator.” 

Lauren Dong, a senior at Northwood High School, played leading ingenue Dorothy Gale. Dong became a fan of The Wizard of Oz when a vocal coach taught her the film’s ageless song “Over the Rainbow” when Dong was younger. Now that she had the honor of playing Dorothy, there was a lot that Dong learned about her character and her incredible journey. “Dorothy is so fascinating because she has this beautiful sense of wonder and curiosity while simultaneously being very driven and impulsive.” 

The actress then explained how Dorothy’s story begins and what she comes to understand along the way. “In Kansas, [Dorothy] brings to almost everyone’s attention about how Miss Gulch hurt Toto because she wants someone who will understand and help her. Then shortly after, she goes into singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ where she is imagining Oz — some place where there isn’t any trouble. She soon finds out that Oz is full of troubles as well as beauty, just like Kansas. I love getting to figure out how no matter what, any place is going to have both bad and good. And people also have good and bad sides. It’s not about dodging the bad and staying with the good, but Dorothy learns how to deal with both and find satisfaction in the balance of the two.”

PJ Giglia and Lauren Dong (Courtesy of South Coast Repertory)

While fans may imagine the iconic Judy Garland when they think of Dorothy, Dong wanted to bring her own sense of originality to the character. “There are still aspects of my character development that resonate with the Dorothy we all know and love, but I didn’t want to make certain character choices just because they were stereotypical and generally well-known,” Dong said. “I wanted to develop a character and make strong choices that made sense considering her journey and character arc, the relationships she has and creates, and her circumstances. Although, I still hope to do justice to L. Frank Baum’s vision of Dorothy and Judy Garland’s iconic portrayal of her.”

Audience members may recall how the film ends — when Dorothy’s journey to get back to Kansas finally ends, she discovers that her power to go back had been inside her the whole time. Dong said she feels like Dorothy’s ultimate message was for her to follow her heart and it would lead her to where she belongs. “To expand upon that, one of Dorothy’s objectives throughout the story is to be understood, which ties into her overall objective of finding a place where she feels loved and belonged. And it’s okay to feel confused and troubled at times, especially when we are young. Part of growing up is figuring out who you are and encountering a range of emotions and learning how to take care of yourself and others, among other things. Dorothy isn’t learning how to be an adult throughout her journey, but she is learning how to confront challenges and figure things out without much guidance; she is learning things for herself.”

Wizard of Oz Cast (Courtesy of South Coast Repertory)

Mitchell Huntley, a graduate of Orange County School of the Arts, played the wizard. Fans might remember the complexity of the wizard’s persona as “the great and powerful” since he turns out to be “the man behind the curtain.” Huntley said his character is “cunning” who “knows his way around the tricks of the world.” And even though the wizard may lose his sense of strength after his big reveal, it’s how he manages to find solutions to problems that make him truly great and powerful. “While not the greatest man, nor the most powerful, his good intentions and his desire to grant the wishes of Dorothy and the others are what make him great. And his ability to find creative solutions to their problems makes him powerful.”

Huntley technically played three roles in this production — the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz, the Man Behind the Curtain and Professor Marvel — who are all the same person. As a fan of the film growing up, the young actor said that watching it as he got older gave him more of an understanding, which was bound to do the same for audience members. “I see so many details I had never noticed before. Jokes that passed over my head, lessons I hadn’t picked up on. When you’re older, like in all fairy tales, you take away more lessons from The Wizard of Oz than you did when you were younger. You start to empathize with characters you didn’t before, you enjoy the silliness and childishness more, you look beyond the narrative to the message.”

South Coast Repertory will present its next production, American Mariachi, from September 7 to October 5.

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