Travel 'Over the Rainbow' With Middle School South

Guests can take a journey to Oz with Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion at Lake Zurich Middle School South as students bring the much-beloved classic The Wizard of Oz to the stage.

Starting tonight, the 111-member cast and crew will present three performances of the musical.

"I am so nervous," Kaitlin Mitchell, who plays the Scarecrow, said of preparing for opening night.

The students have been rehearsing for the musical since August.

"Every day, we've been rehearsing after school," said Paige Savarese, who plays the Cowardly Lion.

"But it's so worth it," added Sydney Mathis, who plays the Tin Man (or Tin Woman in this case). She said she gets butterflies every time the play reaches the end of Act I, which is when Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion can see the Emerald City in the distance.

For the play's four central characters, securing lead roles in The Wizard of Oz was important. They're all eighth-graders.

"As our eighth grade year, we wanted to get big parts," said Mathis.

"We wanted to go out with a bang — and a royal growl," added Savarese.

Mitchell added that she, Savarese, Mathis and Jasmine Mirabelli, who plays Dorothy, are all friends.

"After we were casted, we all watched the movie together," said Mathis.

Eighth-grader Kristen Freeman said that when she auditioned for The Wizard of Oz, she "was just trying out for fun." She ended up with the role of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Some students are playing multiple roles in the production. Maddie Brinn plays the tornado, a crow, a poppy and a jitterbug (yes, the play will include the "Jitterbug" number, which was scrapped from the 1939 movie).

Melissa Sharapata plays a fiddler, munchkin, an Ozian and a monkey. Clare Griffin portrays a crow, poppy and jitterbug. Sharapata, Griffin and Brinn are all eighth-graders.

"There's a lot of costume changes," said Brinn.

The students agreed that putting together The Wizard of Oz has been a great experience.

"We got to put our personal take on the characters," said Mitchell.

Some of the play's other roles include: John Venetos as the Wizard of Oz; Mara Nasui as the Wicked Witch of the West; and Moriah, a live dog, as Toto. The play is under the direction of Jacqui Heinemann.

The students will present a shortened version of the play at an all-school assembly today. The curtain officially opens today at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium, 435 W. Cuba Road. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Another 7 p.m. show will be presented Friday. A matinee will be held Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. for that performance. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and children.