With an eager cast and crew ready to get back on stage once again, the Glen Lake Community School elementary students are inching closer to next month’s much anticipated performance of “The Wizard of Oz” musical.
Seventy students ranging from first through fifth grades auditioned for the musical in December and are now members of the cast, while an additional 33 students in third through fifth grades have joined as part of the production crew. The over 100 students involved with the Wizard of Oz production this time around is reflective of the great interest Glen Lake kids have for the performing arts and the district’s musical theater program recently revived.
2023 was the first year back to producing an elementary musical after a 10-year hiatus, said Glen Lake teacher Sarah Shutler, who helped bring back the beloved program with a production of “The Jungle Book.” This year, the district has doubled in the number of students participating in the “The Wizard of Oz.”
“I’m truly just most excited to be able to help provide this opportunity for our students. There are so many amazing things that come with being a part of a show, beyond the finished product,” Shutler said. “The chance to allow students spanning multiple grades to spend time together and interact has been really fun to see. Plus, seeing our students dedicate time, overcome fears, memorize lines, songs, and choreography, and truly shine on the stage is incredible. It’s a chance for others to see these incredible students in such a special way.”
Fifth grader Hadley Novak, who also participated in last year’s “Jungle Book”musical, is playing Glinda the Good Witch. She said her favorite part of readying for this production has been both singing the songs and learning the choreography.
“It’s fun to hang out with the cast! I’m most excited for opening night and seeing the whole play come together,” Novak said.
Arlyn O’Neill, a fourth grader, is playing the Mayor of Munchkin City, an Appletree, and an Ozian. Not only did he previously play the role of a monkey in “The Jungle Book” musical, but last summer he was also in “A Year with Frog and Toad” at the Old Town Play House summer camp.
“My favorite parts are singing the songs with my friends and going over lines,” O’Neill said.
“I am most excited for the first performance!”
Shutler said theater and being part of musicals has been an integral part of her schooling growing up, noting how she was in her very first musical as a first grader at Glen Lake Elementary. When Shutler was hired as a teacher at Glen Lake, she said she had the honor of directing the elementary and middle school musicals alongside her mom for several years before her retirement.
Shutler continued directing musicals at Glen Lake until she had her son and wanted to be able to be home with him after school. As her son got older though, she missed directing musicals, and eventually proposed the idea of reviving the program last year.
“I quickly learned musical theater was where I found my people, my passion, and my most favorite place to be,” she said. “I wanted to make sure we could provide the opportunity for our students that I was so lucky to have. I hyped it up a lot last year, as it was something pretty foreign to most of the elementary students. I sent letters home, went into classrooms, talked about what it meant to be a part of a musical, what the show was going to be about, what rehearsals might look like, and all the things that were very unfamiliar to the students.”
About 40 students auditioned last year and another 20 wanted to help with productions, Shutler added, and by the time the show was over, kids were begging to do another one. Students were inquiring about what the musical would be within the first week of school this school year following the success of the program in early 2023.
“I have been so extremely grateful for the unending support and encouragement from administrators, our school board, and school families on the recreation of the elementary musical program,” she said. “It is because they said yes to giving our students more opportunities within the arts, that this program has grown into what it has become. In fact, we were able to hire an additional assistant director this year, Taryn Budd, because the number of students involved grew so much.”
And the “Wizard of Oz” musical, which incorporates dozens of characters into the performance for speaking roles and production crew, was a perfect choice for accommodating the over 100 interested students. Rehearsals started with twice-aweek practice and those in speaking roles are now attending three days a week. All cast will be attending rehearsals three to four days a week two weeks before the show, and there are even two Saturdays all day work bees planned with cast, crew, and parent volunteers to ensure the show runs smoothly.
Leading roles popular from the storyline will all be covered, with fifth graders Jackie Ford playing Dorothy and Novak playing Glinda the good witch. Other fifth graders like Eloise Mays are playing the Wicked Witch of the West, Blake Sobeck is playing Scarecrow, and Jack Misner is playing Lion. Fourth grader Addie Ricks is playing Tinman, third grader Lorne Withers is playing Oz, and fourth grader Paisley Newman will play as Toto. People can also expect to see students acting as Auntie Em and Uncle Henry, the farm hands, Professor Marvel, Miss Gulch, Apple Trees, Winkie Guards, Winged Monkeys, Ozians, and Munchkins.
“We have plans to have a bake sale and snacks like popcorn available during the intermission. People should expect a show that is familiar and classic, but also one that surprises you simply because these young actors are amazing and so talented,” Shutler said. “It will be a fun, family-friendly show and evening.”
The show, which will be held on March 8 and 9 at 6:30 p.m., is anticipated to last about an hour and a half, with a 15 minute intermission at Glen Lake School’s auditeria. Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children and students.
