Photos by Mark Velasquez
Few stories have captured the public imagination so thoroughly as The Wizard of Oz. It isn’t hard to understand why—the tale by L. Frank Baum revels in whimsy but is grounded in a universal message about family and love.
More than a century since the book’s publication, you would think that we would run out of fresh ways to tell this story. PCPA’s musical version with book and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg—now playing through December 20 at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria—is a reminder that we have not.
Performances, in collaboration with theatrical circus company 2 Ring Circus, are filled with aerial silks, stilts, acrobatics, and everything you could want from a night at the circus—or the theater. Far from distracting from the story, the circus elements plant you firmly in the land of Oz, allowing the audience to experience the same awe as the characters.
Inside the dazzle of the circus, the cast does beautiful justice to the heart of the story. Bloom Carrera is marvelous as Dorothy. Her performance is fiery and self-assured while still remaining utterly adorable. She turns in a wonderful vocal performance with a heartfelt and crystal-clear rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Carerra is the backbone of the show, and she lives up to the challenge with passion and skill.
Erik Stein delivers scene-stealing comedy as the Cowardly Lion. He might not know how to frighten, but he certainly knows how to entertain. He keeps children and adults alike laughing through the entire performance.
As the Scarecrow, Alexander Pimentel is a joy to watch. He brings the character to life with impressive physicality. He is exactly as loose and teetering as a man made of straw should be, and his energy is downright infectious.
Mike Fiore’s Tin Man is kind and hopeful, a character you can’t help but root for. His silky, resonant voice captures the essence of the character perfectly. Whether or not the Tin Man has a heart, Fiore gives him one.
Every actor in the show brings their all, making every scene fabulous to watch. This includes the delightfully menacing Wicked Witch (Molly Stilliens), the elegant and acrobatic Glinda (Christen Celaya), and the wildly entertaining Wizard himself (Andrew Philpot).
Of course, no one steals the show like Baloo Pierson as Toto. Baloo is a four-legged triple threat (those being acting, running around on cue, and being a cutie patootie). Baloo is very calm and brave when faced with the lights and noise of musical theater. I wish him a lengthy theatrical career and many well-deserved treats.
The technical production side also deserves a round of applause. Costume designer Tracee Bear brings whimsy to every outfit. Particularly impressive is her work with the Munchkins. Their costumes are a visual treat, with vibrant colors and exaggerated skirts and bowties, reminding us that we in the realm of the fantastical.
(My only disappointment is the ruby red slippers, closer to tomato red than ruby and lacking sparkle. They don’t earn the excitement of their reveal, but it’s a small quibble compared to the glamour of the rest of the costumes.)
The technical standout of the show is the twister scene. Joshua Dean’s choreography shines in this sequence, using the cast’s movement to create the illusion of a tornado, centered by an impressive aerial performance from Carrera.
This wonderful show would not have been possible without Mark Booher, who is directing his final production with PCPA. He is going out on an absolute triumph.
In his director’s note, Booher writes, “This is a story about the human heart. Dorothy’s heart.” And just as you can feel Dorothy’s heart, you also can feel Booher’s throughout the show. PCPA’s The Wizard of Oz is simply brimming with passion that is impossible to fake.