The Wiz

It was an absolute privilege to attend my first school production and see The Wiz for the very first time. Shoeburyness High School’s production was a true showcase of talent and creativity.

The venue boasts a great-sized stage, which was utilised impressively to accommodate the large cast. The clever use of off-stage areas, with characters frequently entering through the audience, added a wonderfully immersive element to the performance. A particular highlight was the yellow brick road, which spilled out from under the tabs and stretched right up to the front row, making the audience feel like they were part of Dorothy's journey.

With such a large and energetic cast, it would be impossible to highlight every individual contribution, but my congratulations go to every performer for their enthusiasm, vibrant energy, and some truly outstanding vocals.

A surprising and delightful element of the evening was discovering that the band was entirely composed of students. They delivered a flawless and professional sound that wowed both myself and my guest from the start. However, it was unfortunate that the sound balance wasn’t quite right, and the band occasionally overpowered the vocals during several numbers.

The decision to have two principal casts, allowing more students the opportunity to perform, is commendable. I attended the Tuesday performance and had the pleasure of seeing the following talented cast members:

Rebecca Hill as Dorothy delivered an outstanding performance. Her impressive vocal range and effortless control ensured every solo was a highlight. Rebecca truly shone on stage, and I hope she pursues a future in performing—her potential is undeniable.

Bailey Montella as the Scarecrow was a confident performer, bringing charm and charisma to the role. His rendition of "Born on the Day Before Yesterday" was a joy to watch.

Christopher Hadzi as the Tinman was fantastic. His commitment to the role was evident in every moment, and his well-thought-out character choices brought depth to his performance. He handled the challenging songs admirably.

Lilliana Pearl as the Cowardly Lion looked every bit the part with her striking curly mane. While some dialogue was lost at times, her characterisation was believable, and her stage presence was delightful.

Lola Jenkins as Addapearle was simply wonderful. With magnificent stage presence and natural acting ability, Lola was a standout performer and undoubtedly born to be on stage.

Kingsley Madianganu as The Wiz commanded the stage with confidence and maturity beyond his years. His lovely vocal tone shone, and his performance of "Y’all Got It?" was unforgettable. Kingsley is clearly a natural talent.

Chessy Dobson as Evillene and Honey Richardson as Glinda, the witches of the West and South, delivered strong performances in their roles, despite having less stage time. With “Wicked” currently in the public eye, their roles carried extra weight, and both ensured their characters left a memorable impression.

Tessa Davies was invited to watch the Wednesday performance to review the alternative set of Principals.

The role of Dorothy was taken by Alicia Dalipi and what a superb job she made of it. Her performance was flawless and despite the handicap of having a non-working mic in the first half, she carried on regardless, projecting as best she could so we could hear her. It was a shame that the band was so loud as, without the mic, she struggled to be heard but she did not let it affect her performance. She lit up the stage and I hope that she continues with her performances as she will go far.

Scarecrow was played by Morten Bann, a little tentative at first but the performance developed over the time of the show. The witch Addaperle was played by Lily Prowse, and she has a lovely singing voice which we could hear quite well, again the band was a bit too loud, especially in the underscore music. Evillene was played by Olivia Slatter with great characterisation and a very sassy performance. Fatima Lakshai made a brief appearance as Glinda towards the end of the show and her performance was excellent.

Aunt Em was played by Riana Butler, and she has a beautiful singing voice, I would have liked to see a bit more expression on her face though. Uncles Henry was played by John Hullett, a good characterisation, especially as it was his first main part. Messenger was played by Matilda Emin and, for her first speaking part she did very well.

The production’s set design featured some lovely touches, such as The Wiz’s moving face, which was a great piece of prop design. The use of pyrotechnics added flair to the performance, while the lighting and sound, designed by James Liddell, brought the world of The Wiz vividly to life.

Overall, Shoeburyness High School delivered an ambitious and vibrant production of The Wiz. The cast and crew should all be incredibly proud of what they achieved. This was a joyous performance that I will remember fondly. I look forward to seeing more productions from this talented school in the future.

Natalie Hills

 

 

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.