Fall might not be in the air, but it seems to be a good time to head over the rainbow and check out some of the upcoming productions set for local stages. Dance the yellow brick road from Tulane University to a theater in Slidell.
‘And your little dog, too.’
Toto
Dorothy, Toto, her trio of tagalongs and a couple of witches hit the stage via a tornado (not really) for Slidell Little Theatre’s staging of “The Wizard of Oz,” opening Aug. 22.
Based on the L. Frank Baum 1900 children’s book and the classic 1939 MGM movie, the stage musical features many of the beloved songs, including “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard” and “Munchkinland (Ding Dog! The Witch is Dead!).”
Heather Orgeron
Scott Sauber directs the Royal Shakespeare Co.’s version of the story that has Dorothy transported to a fantasy land where she must defeat one wicked witch (the house already killed her sister) and help her get home, along with her constant companion, Toto, the Cairn terrier.
Playing Dorothy is Lilly Monchgesang, with Heather Orgeron as the Wicked Witch of the West, Fred Martinez as the Wizard of Oz and Trenton Gilmore, Michael Chandler and Juleea Berthelot as the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. Muffy Vanderbilt is Glinda, with Emily Maurer as Aunt Em and Lucas Bissett as Uncle Henry. Noach Osborne is the Captain of the Guard and Matthew Hitchcock is Nikko the money commander.
Fred Martinez
Ensemble members include Isabella Binder, Madison Bywater, Logan Chitwood, Adeline Devereux, Joshua Evans, Annaliese Giardina, Juliana Giardina, London Hauck, Brayden Heritage, Isabella Hosch, Danny Jepson, Lukas Jepson, Veronica Knock, Olivia Loomis, Angela Luque, Benjamin Luque, Nicholas Luque, Victoria Mattern, Lola Penton, Annie Rawle, Cecelia Rawle, Graham Rhodes, Audrie Saint Cyr, Maura Sandoz, Adaline Shehadeh, Sawyer Smith, Olsen Spilling, Sonni Talamo, Avery Thompson, Emily Thompson, Millie Tiblier and Olivia Vicidomina.
The show at 2024 Nellie Drive is at 7:30 p.m. (a new time for the playhouse) on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays, plus Saturday matinees Aug. 30 and Sept. 6, through Sept 7 at 2024 Nellie Drive.
Tickets start at $25. Visit slidelllittletheatre.org.
‘Dance Nation’ a past performance at Tulane University’s Lupin Theatre, featured Victoria Guest, Erin Weiss, Nya Philips, Douglas Corcoran, Sydney Schneider, Kelly Bond, Arushi Thakur and Jeffery Gunshol.
Tulane season ahead
The Mainstage Season at Tulane University’s School of Liberal Arts includes a broad palette of theater and dance ranging from classics to new works and bounty of talents.
The theatrical offerings start with “The Lesson,” Eugene Inesco’s absurdist one-act play about a professor and his student and a revolving storyline. The show will run Oct. 15-19 at the Lupin Theatre, directed by Antony Sandoval.
“The Squirrels” by Robert Askins is a black comedy about a mixed-race family of squirrels, greed and prejudice. Ryder Thornton directs the show that runs Nov. 11-20 at Lupin.
Louisa May Alcott’s novel is the basis for “Little Women,” a musical that will be co-produced by the Newcomb Department of Music. The story of a Northern family of daughters during the Civil War will be directed by Laura Waringer and run April 15-19 at Lupin.
“Above the Oaks” starts the dance program for the university, with an evening of student choreography under faculty adviser Jeffrey Gunshol. It will be staged Oct. 22-23 at McWilliams Hall Dance Lab 300.
Dixon Hall will be the site for “An Evening of Dance” featuring the Newcomb Dance Company performing works by Nora Gibson, guest choreographer, and faculty choreographer Alice Pascal Escher, with others. The performance will be held Feb. 27 to March 1.
Tickets typically go on sale one month prior to the opening performance. For information, visit liberalarts.tulane.edu/theatre-dance/performances.
On stage this week, Aug. 14-20
During a rehearsal, Mary Langley, playing Mary Warren, is questioned during the witch trials in ‘The Crucible,’ with, from left, Clint Johnson as Danforth, Ryan Bruce as Hathorne, Miles Hamauei as Hale and Jonathan Mares as Proctor.
“THE CRUCIBLE”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; Big Couch, 1045 Desire St. Fat Squirrel stages Arthur Miller’s fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that looks at betrayal, consequences and how truth can often become a victim when hysteria takes hold. Tickets start at $25. fatsquirrelnola.square.site.
“SCHOOL OF ROCK: THE MUSICAL”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 24; 30 by Ninety Theatre, 880 Lafayette St., Mandeville. Singer-without-a-band Dewey Finn turns the students of a snooty private school from honor rollers to hard rock ‘n’ rollers to compete in the Battle of the Bands, all without their parents or the school administrators finding out. Tickets start at $32. 30byninety.com.
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