The Wizard of Oz lives in Medford

Follow Medford High School down the yellow brick road, as they present The Wizard of Oz under the direction of Shelly Fitzgerald.
This musical spectacular has a cast of over 50 students dancing across the stage to one of America’s most beloved classics.
The play follows Kanas native Dorothy as she is sucked up by a twister and dropped into the magical world of Oz, inhabited by wizards and munchkins alike. She’s on a quest to best a wicked witch and return home with the help of her merry band of companions she meets along the way.
“Visually wonderful to see,” is how Fitzgerald described the show. Everything from the set to the costumes has been pushed to the limits. She says the audience can expect a few surprise special effects as well.
A classic musical, the show contains more songs than the famous film adaption. Students tap-dance and swing dance their way through numbers like “The Jitterbug” that will be new even to those who know the film by heart.
Senior Michael Kannes plays the titular wizard. His favorite part is the song, “Wonders of the World.” He says it’s a beautiful song that’s added to the beginning of the show, while Dorothy is still in Kansas.
This is Kannes seventh production and fourth musical one. He’s excited to share the show with the public. “It’s a very classic play,” Kannes said, “We’re still pulling it together, but it’s looking really good.”
Sophomore Jacob Gasner, who plays the Lion, is equally excited for the show. Gasner played the prince in Medford’s fall production of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and he’s returning for his eighth show. Gasner describes the Lion as everybody’s favorite character, because he’s the comic relief, a role Gasner is more than happy to play in the show.
After some intense rehearsals, he ready to show people what they’ve accomplished.
“The four of us have been working our tails off the mast two and a half months,” Gasner said of Dorothy’s band of heroes, “Our singing is the best it’s ever been.”
His favorite part, however, isn’t his own. Gasner says the best part of the show is the iconic Wicked Witch of the West.
“I couldn’t be her, but…” Gasner quipped, but continued that the actress who plays her is doing a great job.
Every Medford production he says ends with audience either laughing or crying, and this show Gasner said is no exception.
“It’s a great family production,” he finished.
At the center of the production is Senior Rachel Blum. She like Gasner is back after appearing in The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but this time as the star of the musical.
“At first I didn’t know if I could handle being Dorothy,” Blum admitted thinking of how hectic her final year of high school has been, but she, “decided to do what I want to do because it’s senior year.”
The special effects, Blum thinks will take people by surprise. She believes they go beyond what “people might think a high school production could do.”
Sixth grader Peyton Ristau is also impressed with the show’s special effects. Ristau plays one of the munchkins and an extra throughout the show. Elementary students were invited to audition to help boost the population of Munckinland. They also make for some cute, if not quite fearsome, flying monkeys.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Ristau said,  “We get to do a lot of singing and dancing.” She also shares Gasner’s love of the Wicked Witch, and says the villain’s entrance is her favorite part of the show.
With over 10 shows under her belt, that Wicked Witch is indeed something to sing about. Senior Cassie Larson plays the memorable witch. It’s a lot more screeching and cackling than Larson’s used to, having never played a villain before, but she’s really enjoying a different side of acting.
She described it as, “hardest role I’ve ever played.”
All of the actors are working hard to bring this larger than life production together for the stage, though not all of it keeps to the stage. Moving through the aisles, the cast makes use of the entire auditorium. Audience members should keep arms and legs out of the aisles, lest a rogue flying monkey should trip over them.
The Wizard of Oz can be seen Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 25 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased a the door.

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Audience members can also anticipate the performance of the cast’s most beloved member, Sammy the Shitzu, who will be playing Toto. It’s her theatrical debut, and The Time’s wishes her the best of luck.