Avondale High School announces cast and crew for The Wizard of OZ

The Avondale Theatre Company (ATC), Avondale High School’s award winning theater troupe, announced the cast and crew for their fall production of The Wizard of Oz this week. Twenty-nine high school students and forty-four middle and elementary students will come together to produce the original version of the musical that has all of the extravagance of the screen version but with a script that is very vaudevillian.

“Student leaders in our theater group chose this version of the musical because they like challenging material that compels them to invest in their part of a production rather than just duplicate what they’ve seen before,” said ATC Director, Michael Sheldon. “They want to explore depth that most high school theater departments shy away from because they want to grow as performers and as people,” he added.

The Avondale Theatre Company has a history of choosing plays and musicals that go beyond stereo-typical high school productions. That suits Sheldon as his background is in high action stage techniques including stage combat, spectacle, lighting and creature creation which the cast of last year’s fall production of She Kills Monsters incorporated into their performance. “With a student-led production, the challenge is to help the students imagine (and then pull off) what the performance could be if they went beyond the script and the staging that has already been done,” said Sheldon. “That’s why I like to bring in new stage techniques for them to learn and build into their performance – it makes it unique. The theater should be a place that empowers kids to celebrate their unique take on the world and then express that in a performance that entertains and teaches the audience.”

The Wizard of Oz promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience for the cast and crew as well as the audience. Performances are November 1, 2, and 3 at 7:05pm and November 4 at 2:05pm in the Avondale Performing Arts Centre (2800 Waukegan Street, Auburn Hills, 48326).

The cast and crew for the Avondale Theatre Company’s The Wizard of Oz are Katie Christy as Dorothy, Caroline Gratsch as Scarecrow, Zach Pedigo as Tin Man, Ricky Hall as Lion, Rebecca Piepszak as Wicked Witch, Miranda Miller as Sorceress, Evan Lockard as Big Wizard, Shannon Freck as Lil Wizard, Logan Nardi as Munchkin Mayor, Gordy Gwilt as Growlie and Henry, Amarae’ Robinson as Aunt Em and Witch 1, Ava Hall as Gloria, Teddy Leismer as Foremost General, Lindsey Nutt as Private, Alison Ward as Oz Lady (Lion Tamer), Martinez Wilson as Tibia and Farm Hand Joe, Megan Dwelle as Oz Girl 1, Izzie Magyar as Oz Girl 2, Angel Smith as Oz Girl 3 and Ashlyn Miller as Witch 2. Making up the chorus of Oz citizens, generals, ghosts and jitterbugs are Logan Pizzurro, Juni Javier, Nick Letica, Thomas Snook, DaShawn Mitchell, Que’Jari Jones, Sasha Strohl, Elizabeth Fulton and Gretchen Waltenspiel.

The Youth Ensemble feature cast, made up of elementary and middle school students includes Logan Yagiela as Farmer Munchkin, Jadin Moore as Barrister Munchkin, Andrea Honig as Braggart Munchkin, Madelyn Axe as City Father #1, Jillian Schott as City Father #2, Brecken Bliss as Coroner Munchkin, Liam Kakuda as Peeping Munchkin, Max Checkley as Sneezing Munchkin, Sydney Baliat as Munchkin #1, Isabelle Bahorski as Munchkin #2, Caleigh Bovensiep as A Munchkin, and Cate Pastori as Mime Munchkin. The Lollipop Guild for two performances will be Sydney Goetz, Wyatt Bovensiep and Madeline Goins; and for the other two performances will be Violet Kainaya, Violet Schroeder and Brynn Orban. The Lullaby League for two performances will be Amirah Robinson, Reese Bittick, Jenna Montano, Rishee Sreenivasan, Katerina Kaltsounis, Joshua Cornwell, Emmanuel Johnson, Elizabeth Linebaugh, Riley Axe, Jacob Cornwell, Jenna Watton, Julianna Metti and Hitaa Thakur; and for the other two performances will be Gryffin Sheldon, Isaac Brault, Claire Raymond, Eliott McGlynn, Sophia Kainaya, Ainsley Tischer, Jaida Hutchison, Musa Hans, Chelsea Howe, Madelyn Cook, Grayson Sheldon, Autumn Womack and Kaylah McDonald.

Student leaders for the show are Student Director Zoe Williams, Stage Manager Ramya Anbarasu, Producer Rachel Pastori, Assistant Stage Managers Quincy Hamer and Nathan Vagi, Choreographer Gordy Gwilt, Student Music Director Jack Letica, Vocal Director Amarae’ Robinson, Youth Ensemble Coordinators Zack Pedigo and Miranda Miller.

Behind the scenes, crews work to ensure a complete theater experience for the audience. Props for the production will be handled by a crew led by Chief Shelby Porter. Props Crew members are Chase Caldwell, Taylor Miracle, Maylin Deneau, Sage Nichols and Dasia Hensley. The Shop Crew, led by Chief Patrick Kelley with Scenic Artist Allie Magana includes Cady Nowakowski, Aisha Vicens, Alize Sims, Kaycee Adams, Neveah Hogans, Logan Hale, Alex Dickey, Jarod Hatty, Gavin Rhodes, Lane Flores, Ryan Cannon and Dana Holt. Under the direction of Crew Chief Blake Allen, the Sound Crew members are Andrew Richard, Joseph Pawlowski, John Olszak and Sarah Isaacs. Lighting Crew Chief Mary Holt will manage her crew of Mason Finch, Charles Hill, Andrew Middendorff, Evan Honig, Megan Dwelle and Maddy Stearns. Handling costumes and makeup, under the direction of Crew Chief Emily Babbitt, Makeup Crew Chief Izzie Magyar and Assistant Makeup Crew Chief Ella Ragan are Maddy Stearns, Alena Hartkopf, Raven Needham and Jacob Cherry. Producer Rachel Pastori, with crew members Toryn Berger, Aidan Hamer, Joseph Walter and Jasmin Nelson will facilitate tasks and details focused on the business side of the production.