Weekend Showcase: West Lutheran’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ Runs April 8-10
West Lutheran High School went for nostalgia when choosing their spring musical, “The Wizard of Oz,” the first live musical in three years.
“For those of us old enough to remember, before VCRs, that show came on once a year and if you missed it, you were out of luck for another 365 days,” said director Lisa Denninger.
Denninger says this show means a lot to the students.
“Due to the pandemic, we had a lot of losses, the whole theater community did,” said Denninger. “We really felt it in our school shows because it’s one of those activities students really look forward to.”
Denninger’s daughter, Olivia, shines in the leading role as ‘Dorothy’ in her final spring musical at her Alma mater.
“It’s a show everyone knows, knows the story line,” said Denninger. “You really get to see the story line of this young girl, what your family means and what your family becomes.”
Olivia Denninger plays Dorothy in West Lutheran’s “The Wizard of Oz.”
Senior George Afari plays Professor Marvel and the Emerald City guard, and says you can see the students’ hard work on stage.
“We’ve been through a lot of singing, dancing and a lot of hard work,” said Afari. “They should be proud of themselves for doing this.”
There are some unexpected surprises in the show that the audience will enjoy. Besides a real life Toto, Miss Gulch enters through the audience.
Director Lisa Denninger says the show has been as delightful to produce as it is to watch.
“Genuinely, this is one of the kindest, most grateful groups of kids I’ve ever worked with,” said Denninger. “They are so supportive of one another and I’m so excited for people to see the work that went into it.”
Shows run Friday, Saturday and Sunday at West Lutheran High School. You can purchase tickets at the door. For more information, click here.
