It’s time to leave Kansas and enter the wonderful land of Oz, and the cast list for this year’s musical has been released. The CFHS drama department under the tutelage of Tania Legvold will present The Wizard of Oz, a classic loved by many. The show, to be performed Nov. 13-16, with rights secured by Tams, Witmark  Company, will document the journey of Dorothy Gale, as a twister picks up her house and plops her down in the land of Oz where she meets new friends such as the Scarecrow, Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion.

The cast is headed by senior Hannah Brummund in the role of Dorothy.  Each of the remaining cast members is required to play multiple parts in the show.  Dorothy’s companions are the cowardly lion/Zeke the farmhand played by Matt Lockett; the tinman/Hickory the farmhand, played by Matt Breuer; and the scarecrow/Hunk the farmhand, played by Rachel Hartman. Rounding out the lead cast members is Mary Franz, who plays Aunt Em and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.

The last member of Dorothy’s family, Uncle Henry, is played by Sam Hamann, who also takes on the role of the Emerald City Guard.  Melissa Franz takes in the part of the Wicked Witch of the West and Miss Gulch, while Carley Norton is the venerable Oz and Professor Marvel. Emma Watson and Kressin Hartl form the Lullaby League, while the Tough Guys are played by Eric Hamann, Jordon Mailhot, and Isaiah Wildenburg. The two jitterbug dancers are Emma Conway (lead dancer and also Coroner),  Saundra Stodden (also a schoolteacher), and Bryson Felton (also Munchkinland Mayor and a Winkie).  Kristin Schneider, the Winkie General (and Lead Beautician), is joined by Winkies Xander Weinrich (also City Father and Barrister), Ben Gibson (also the Braggart), and Jasmine Jones (also a schoolteacher).

Hailey Newinski and Emma Shepersky as Winkies.

Stay tuned for further articles about the musical