View from the Green Room: 'We’re off to see the Wizard…The wonderful Wizard that was'
Mark as the Scarecrow, Fionn as the Lion and Cathal as the Tin Man, who performed in the Butlerstown NS production of The Wizard of Oz at the Theatre Royal. Photo: Joe Evans
Butlerstown National School floored a splendid Wizard of Oz before a full house for two nights last week on the Mall.
I love school shows. It’s a time for everyone to shine and for the entire school community to celebrate the flair and talent that the school nurtures over the eight years that students attend.
Tonight, all three floors are full and the atmosphere is special.
The entire Butlerstown school staff takes the production on board. Principal Maria O’Connor keeps a firm beat and tight control of the singing from the conductor’s stand, while seasoned choreographer Ann Marie Cooney has some sparkling routines.
The chorus is well drilled. Everyone knows their entrances and exits and the singing is a delight.
The curtain calls were a delight to watch as each and every chorus and principal had their hour in the spotlight.
How many were on stage for the curtain call? I gave up counting at one hundred and sixty!
There’s strong technical support here as well. Dermot Quinn’s use of a rear screen projection works really well and keeps the show moving along. We’re everywhere from a Kansas backwater farm to witch’s lairs and ghostly castles and, of course, the Emerald City of Oz.
Lighting from Lippy Collins plays a large part in getting us to these places and James Hayes on sound makes great use of multiple mics to enable us to hear every word and note.
It’s a show that’s packed with talent and some fine production values that never over-complicates or makes too many demands on the young cast.
The hazards and happenings along the way are a delight because everyone knows what they are doing. Oz opens up before us as the Lullaby League (Annaliese Bouchier, Molly Malone, Sadie Mullane and Lily Spencer), the Lollipop Guild (Luke O’Shaughessy, Lily Westphal, Aoibhe Wilson and Libby Winspear), Apple Trees (Viola Salvarani, Nessa Goff and Meabh Mahony), along with the Optimistic Voices (Áine Joy, Clara Kinlan and Lauren Butler) take the storyline in hand.
Jitterbugs (Faye Barry, Emily Rose Kavanagh, Sadhbh Lanigan, Eve Nolan, Leah McMenamin and Amy O’Reilly), along with Crows (Cein Bailey, Sophie Williamson, Amelka Oleniacz and Balazs Gergely), and Winkies (Thom Butler, Dan Bolger, Amelie Phelan, CillIian Walsh, Liam O’Riordan, Corey Kavanagh, Rob Grace-Power, Bobby Geaney, Jake Dunphy, Joe Bailey, Billy Britton, Milo Joy, Finn Ivanov, Clare Geaney and Alfie Fitzgerald) all menace poor old Dorothy and her fellow travellers.
Other parts are filled by Mollie O’Leary, Naoise Daly, Abbie Connolly, Anna Phelan, Heather Dunne and John Foley.
Clearly, there’s been great concentration on the young cast because even the smallest of parts is well defined.
Aunt Em (Caoimhe Kelly), Uncle Henry (Ronan Grace-Power), Conor Tyler (Toto), Miss Gulch (Morgan Lee), Prof. Marvel? Wizard (Jimmy Lee Tyrell), Mayor (Logan Bishop) and Oz Woman (Harper Whelan) provide great support to the quartet who travel to Oz in search of something.
Holly O’Shaughnessy swirls her cape with menace and attitude on all her entries and exits that define the little minx as the Wicked Witch of the West. She’s met her match, however, in Pippa Williamson’s Witch of the South Glinda and their duet is a show highlight.
Mark Bouchier’s Scarecrow is always interesting, Fionn Hartery’s lisping Lion is a hoot and a great hit with the audience, while Cathal Joy’s Tin Man does exactly what the character notes say on the tin!
Ella Day is superb as Dorothy. Ella has a fine soprano and strong stage presence and carries Dorothy’s storyline with ease.
Feisty and courageous, Ella engages the audience throughout and we’re always on her side in her battle with her enemies at the Emerald City.
This is a first-class debut performance from a talented young actress and I have no doubt that we will see more of her in years to come.
Well done Butlerstown NS on a splendid Wizard of Oz.
