“Under the Spotlight: FDR’s Production of The Wizard of Oz”

Images by Natali Valdez

FDR’s Drama Department gave “Wizard of Oz” fans a real treat, just as long as they “followed the Yellow Brick Road” to their seat in the theater. Amongst an audience bustling with anticipation, the red velvet curtain pulled back to reveal a production of the “Wizard of Oz'' like never before. The show started when Dorothy strolled onto the stage in her signature braided pigtails while clutching a stuffed Toto.

“At first, I felt so nervous. I started rushing my lines and could feel my blood start pumping. After the first few lines, though, I felt something click in my brain; like the last piece of a puzzle. I felt like the audience disappeared and that this was my moment and I needed to make the most out of it. I felt like this was my stage and that I had to be the best Dorothy I could ever be,"says Brianna Gonzalez-Maertens, the actress of Dorothy. 

Unlike the original film, this live performance was in color from the very beginning; fitting since the audience was hooked right off the bat. With the help of the ensemble, the infamous tornado came to life and Dorothy was brought to the “Land of Oz”. The audience was delighted to see her four-legged friend, Toto, walking on two legs and speaking like a human. An added touch to FDR’s production that differs from the original, all thanks to Mr. San Roman. 

“At first I was sad that it wasn’t going to be a musical since we usually do musicals and then a play. But then I read the script, and it’s adapted by our teacher, and I think that’s really special,” a shares the Wicked Witch of the West, Belen Alvarez-Calderon.

When it came time to find a script for the 2023 middle and high school play, it stumped the heads of the drama department. No script of the “Wizard of Oz” was good enough -- until one finally was. Mr. San Roman had adapted the script many years ago. Initially, he thought the school wouldn’t be interested in one of his scripts, but he was proven wrong. “I dusted off my old version and said, ‘Hey, you know what? I think I have another one. Let me show you'. I translated it and [Ms. Meltzer] liked it.” Smiling, Mr. San Roman added, “Haha yeah, it was mine.” 

In this modernized version of the classic tale, Dorothy’s traditional heels were ditched for a pair of red sparkly Nikes. The directors wanted shoes that would be comfortable for the lead. Brinna donated an old pair, and the crew did what they do best; they turned something ordinary into a magnificent part of the story. Designer Jinhee Oh and crew were praised by actors and supervisors in their interviews, and rightfully so. Structures like the Wizard’s Palace and Dorothy’s house were incredibly well done. The background visuals were a crowd favorite. They completed each scene and evoked roaring laughter from the audience when the Wizard himself was introduced. 

“Agustin has a characteristic. He’s really funny, even when he’s not trying to be funny. He just says ‘hi’ to you and he lifts your mood, and that’s what we wanted,” explained Mr. San Roman when asked about Agustin de la Puente being cast as the Wizard. 

The directors described what the audition process was like and how each person was selected for their role. Factors like talent, looks, attitudes, and initial perceptions of characters determine who gets cast as whom. But, sometimes an actor will “surprise you”. In this case, those in charge of casting just have to trust their intuition. “This comes with the experience of being a Drama teacher – often we get a feeling that could be based on a few things. I think this is something we did really well for this show; I feel like every character was very suited for their role,” said Ms. Hannah Meltzer, co-director. 

“As Simeon, I really enjoyed how 'cartoony' I was allowed to be…I was given the role of a character that was, in the words of Ms. Meltzer, 'purposefully exaggerated,'” said Santiago Smith, commenting on what it was like portraying the star winged-monkey. “The hardest part for me was learning to 'be' a monkey. The two directors, Ms. Meltzer, and Mr. San Roman, would critique everything to not sounding monkey-ish, to not walking monkey-ish.” As Smith took a bow at curtain call, he got the applause he deserved for his hard work and marvelously monkey-like performance. 

“It was just incredibly satisfying and so unexpected that it was such a huge success. [San Roman] told me it was the best play he ever directed. Which is… Like, how? I was just having fun up there,” Sid, the Tin Man, told me. “All of those Saturday sessions since August, having to come to school after finals or a huge test ... It all ended up being so worth it.” 

“The cast and crew were fantastic. I had a lot of fun working alongside the main cast and giving each other ideas. The rest of the cast was also very good and made me feel more confident, as I knew they could hold their own onstage,” said Gabriel Payet, actor of the Lion. 

When Belen Alvarez-Calderon was asked about her role, she replied, “You know, when you’re playing a character, no one is judging you as an actual person. They’re judging the character instead, so it feels really freeing.” Serenity Bowling, actress of Glinda the Good Witch (with a twist), stated that, “acting is all about what you convey to the audience, so embody your role.” In their interviews, her cast members and directors reiterated how important it is to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. They advised aspiring actors to keep working hard because great things can come of it. This show is evidence of exactly that. Mingling members of the audience described the experience as “just like being at Broadway”.