Staff Writer
Susana Kuehne
DIRECTOR BARBARA HYNES with student directors Hailey Crowe (left) and Gabby Klinkenborg (right) during play practice on Wednesday.
KAHLESS (named from Star Wars movie) plays Toto in the Wizard of Oz high school production coming this spring and has also been training with the students to ensure he gets his lines right. "He's the first live actor you see in the show!" says Director Barabara Hynes - Tomczyk aka Barb HT.
Scene 1 BLHS STUDENTS working on the poppy field scene in their Wizard of Oz production.
Scene 2 MEET THE WIZARD. BLHS students who landed roles in the Wizard of Oz production are rehearsing the scene where they meet the wizard. (Photos by Susana Kuehne)
On April 12, 13, and 14, the BLHS students will be putting on their spring production of the Wizard of Oz. Barbara Hynes, a freelance director in the Twin Cities and former teacher of 38 years, will be leading the vision and thousands of details involved in the production of the Wizard of Oz such as musical and lighting cues, timing, scenery, training the younger actors, and so much more!
Thankfully, she has many adults who are collaborating with her and making it all possible. This is the fifth musical that Barbara, Big Lake school staff and parents have put together in these beginning stages of the somewhat new high school theatre program.
The Wizard of Oz was chosen because the school is still trying to grow its audience, and this is a production which would appeal to a wide range of folks, including families with children. “This particular show is well-known, fun and allows us to even have participants from grades 3 to 12!” shares Hynes. “We have to keep the audience in mind.”
Though the students might prefer to do something edgier, they are excited about the musical now and are making it more “funky” with costumes, sets, and dance. Both seasoned actors and talented middle schoolers make up the cast. Plus, there are about 30 youngsters in grades 3 to 5 who get to play the munchkins and monkeys!
The student cast consists of Kaitlyn Knodle as Dorothy, Korri Wojack as the Tin Man, Richie Lange as the Lion, Jonah Overby as the Scarecrow, Layla Murray as the Witch, Jenna Wendlandt as Glinda and Abby Warnke as Oz. Kahless, who will be playing Toto the dog, is also part of the crew. His owner Doreen Dalesandro is proud of him and hoping he learns to respond to “Toto”. Meanwhile, Haley Crowe and Gabby Klinkenborg were selected as student directors to assist during practices.
“We showed up to auditions and got this role,” explained Gabby. “We love to be in charge!”
The kids started working on this musical in late January. However, the winter cold burst the pipes in the music hallway of the school, forcing the band and vocal leaders to use the stage and dressing rooms for classroom space, concerts, and offices. Therefore, this has limited the amount of time the theatre program has been allotted for their own practices, and it’s added stress to the show preparations, but everyone is stepping up to help.
Hynes says the most challenging part of her directing role is dealing with so many details at once. Additionally, there are frequent missed rehearsals due to family issues, doctors’ appointments, sports, and other commitments, so the time spent together is very valuable. Practice is about three hours on weekdays and everyone is working hard to learn lines, create sets, and more.
Brad Schnitzler in Community Ed has been a most important person for the BLHS theatre program. He has worked with the district and the community through local groups to get help with funding. Some of the money from previous years’ ticket sales has also been dedicated for the Wizard of Oz.
Though it can be similar to wrangling cats, Hynes enjoys teaching the students focus, keeping them busy, challenging them, and cheerleading them all while trying to stay sane. She says it’s a tremendous process and the musical cannot be successful without everyone, but that’s the most difficult and rewarding aspect of it all.
BLHS is eager to perform the Wizard of Oz this April for all guests who come to support them and enjoy this classic!
Section: