LCI’s Wizard of Oz follows the yellow brick road

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on December 1, 2022.

Students Anna Johnson, at left, Steven Chatterton, Cassie Doerksen and Keelin McFadzen run through a scene from the LCI production of The Wizard of Oz: Choose Your Own Oz. Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge Collegiate Institute is ready to present their fall production The Wizard of Oz: Choose Your Own Oz.

An interactive play where audiences get to make some choices along the way, LCI drama teacher Kelly Frewin said it is the traditional story but throughout the play as it moves along, the audience is going to be asked to make certain choices on some of the events that happen in the story.

“Some of the more well-known things about the story might change as we go through the play,” said Frewin during a play call for media at LCI on Wednesday.

He said the audience will be asked multiple times to decide how the play will continue, which means a lot of rehearsing for the cast.

“We try to have a lot of fun and play as we do it, so that they are open to anything that might happen. We’ve rehearsed all of the different things that might happen. Every time they rehearse, I give them a new one so they don’t even know ahead of time what they’re doing until there in the middle of rehearsal,” said Frewin.

He said the crew is made up of 68 actors and 32 students taking care of the technical aspects of the show.

“Everything from scenic painting, to props, to costumes, to lighting. About 80 per cent of this show has been student designed and created and that’s been a real treat to be able to see these students take those skills that they’ve been learning and be able to put them into a practical application,” said Frewin.

Anna Johnson, a grade 10 student who plays the crow that sits on the scarecrow’s shoulder as well as a flying monkey, said she really enjoys the fact that the play is pretty much student led.

“It’s really cool to me because all the other things I’ve been a part of throughout my whole life has been really only the adults in charge,” said Johnson.

She said it is inspiring to see how much high schoolers can do.

“I think it’s really cool that Mr. Frewin trusts us to be part of all that stuff, that is great,” said Johnson.

This year the school will be able to host a full audience which Frewin said could be up to 150 people.

Keelin McFadzen, a grade 11 student who plays Dorothy, said she is really excited about acting in front of a full audience compared to the smaller audience she acted in front of last year.

“Last year we didn’t have a full audience, we still had some people who were able to come which was really nice, but I’m looking forward to being able to look out and see a full crowd,” said McFadzen.

The production will take place at the LCI drama room from Dec. 5 to Dec. 9 at 7:00 p.m. and Dec.10 at 2:00 p.m.

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