We’re Off To See the Wizard of Oz!

The Wizard of Oz musical, now playing at the National Theater, had my six-year-old’s attention from the moment Toto appeared: “Mom! It’s a REAL dog!” While occasionally distracting from the action, the scene-stealing rescue dog charmed utterly, like most of the production. It’s hard to reinvent an iconic masterwork, but the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams’ stage adaptation of the beloved film doesn’t disappoint. The touring show balances classic notes with dazzling 21st century high-tech innovations.

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Long-time fans of the film’s original score will celebrate gusty delivery of the standards. Washington native Sarah Lasko is dead-on as Dorothy, invoking the nasal intonation of Judy Garland. Mark Harmon’s Professor Marvel/Wizard is the walking embodiment of “twinkling eyes.” The trio of the Scarecrow (Morgan Reynolds), Tin Man (Jay McGill), and Cowardly Lion (Aaron Fields) aptly foil one another, and deliver contemporary comic references to make the adults chuckle. McGill’s Tin Man is particularly strong, his vocals overpowering his cronies. Fields is hilariously droll. Kids will delight in Shani Hadjian’s evil Wicked Witch of the West as she channels Margaret Hamilton’s cackles and sashays like a sinuous reptile.

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Self-referential winks will amuse all who love the film, particularly in the opening scenes. The sepia tones of Kansas nicely juxtapose the busting color of Oz. For the younger set, new tunes by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber augment the familiar, including Dorothy’s opening song “Nobody Understands Me,” and the Wicked Witch of the West’s “Red Shoe Blues.” The multi-media effects pop, sustaining the tenor of the original film, while updating it with modern flair. Best of all are the old-fashioned, large-scale musical numbers, such as Dorothy’s introduction to Munchkinland or the Emerald City, when the boards overflow with a dancing and singing ensemble cast.

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Robert Jones freshens up with a style more evocative of Wicked than 1930s cinema. The Wicked Witch is still green, but now cloaked in sassy feathers, crowned with a radical softserve up-do rather than a hat. All the costumes shine – Tin Man, Glinda, and Dorothy’s glitzy green Emerald City transformation are standouts.

If there were any glitches in the production, it would be that (as seems to be usual) the National Theater struggled with opening night sound issues and microphone malfunctions. Also, the choreography of the climatic scene where Dorothy douses the Wicked Witch made it all but impossible to tell what was happening. The tempo rushed too quickly from threat to melted pool of witch soup, and blocking made it hard to see Dorothy throw the bucket of water. My son was just confused. These are forgivable flaws, however, in an otherwise magical production.

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It was pleasant to see those who might have seen the original movie as a new release sitting side-by-side with kids experiencing it for the first time. While some fans (including me) may question the appropriateness of certain ruby-slipper liberties at the conclusion of the show, it is undisputed that everyone left the theater happy and humming. Take this trip down the yellow brick road. You won’t be disappointed.

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The Wizard of Oz is playing at The National Theater (1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004) through May 15, 2016. Running time: Two hours and eighteen minutes with a twenty minute intermission. For more information call 800-514-3849 or visit www.thenationaldc.com.

Photo credit: Daniel A. Swalec