The Yellow Brick Road Leads To Some Of The Most Talented Kids In Town

If that twister hadn't carried Dorothy's little house off to Oz - well, Cranford actually - residents would've missed out on an exceptional performance by some very talented local youths.

The tiny venue at which the Theater Project Jr. performed its version of "The Wizard of Oz" over the weekend was no indication of the enormous amount of work and talent that went into the production. The Jardine Academy played host to the musical, and the small auditorium in which the actors, crew and musicians gathered was filled with audience members. Lucky them!

All of the young thespians did an outstanding job, but as with any performance, there are always a few that simply steal the show. Eighth-grader Ashleigh Poszyler was one of them. Cast in the role of Dorothy, Poszyler had an amazing stage presence. For such a young girl, she was able to bring more believable emotion to the role than one might expect of someone her age. Her vocal talent and ease on the stage proved her worthiness to have the lead role in "Oz."

Aly Cohen, who played Glinda the Good Witch, was made for the role. She sang beautifully and glided over the stage like she owned it. And the large cast of "munchkins" who surrounded her brought smiles to the audience as they giggled, danced and led Dorothy to the yellow brick road.

Another standout was James Lynch, who played the Cowardly Lion. Any time he was on the stage was a good time in the performance. Lynch brought so much comic relief to the part, that the audience seemed to eagerly await each line he delivered. It's unusual for someone his age to have such great comic timing. It's doubtful that anyone could possibly have played that role better. Adding to the humor was Dana Kyle as the Scarecrow and Tyler McMahon as Tin Man, who also excelled in their respective roles, as did Ginger Allcock as the Wicked Witch.

Fran Engelman and the musicians who made up the orchestra also deserve to be commended for not missing a beat as they helped bring out the laughter, energy and wide range of emotion that unfold on stage. Paul Sullivan, the stage manager, kept the performance running smoothly and the transitions flawless between scenes, while choreographer Samuel Spare did a great job of taking a young cast and guiding them through complex dance numbers.

Though director Mary A. Ianelli didn't actually take the stage, she deserves to be put in the spotlight for bringing the TPJ rendition of "The Wizard of Oz" to life, and making it such an enjoyable performance.