Chilliwack – We all know the story of Dorothy Gale, an ordinary Kansas farm girl who gets swept away to the Land of Oz in a Tornado. The classic movie starring Judy Garland and based on Frank L. Baum’s book is still widley viewed and loved, and Secondary Characters is proud to bring this iconic musical to life this summer at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. But there’s an exciting twist. Director Steffi Munshaw has a fresh yet timeless design vision for the musical.
Munshaw has chosen to take inspiration from Baum’s original asthetic and W.W. Denslow’s stunning illustrations which drew heavily on the Art Nouveau movement of the time. “Baum wanted The Wizard of Oz to be a modern fairytale,” says Munshaw. “Keeping that in mind, we thought combining Art Nouveau with a current design movement would bring a fresh take to our show while keeping the classic story intact. Mixing Art Nouveau with steampunk designs seemed a natural fit to acomplish that for our production.” The costumes, props, setting and graphic designs are all inspired by the beauty and grace of Art Nouveau combined with the mechanisms and metallics of steampunk, and the result is stunning.
Actors and crew from all over the Fraser Valley have come together to join the company for this vibrant musical, and are very excited about reimagining the world of Oz! When asked about her experience with the show so far, vocal director Carmen Harris says, “The cast of Secondary Characters has worked so hard to bring the journey of Dorothy and her friends to life. From spine-tingling harmonies to declamatory munchkins, this musical has something for everyone!” Actor Lyndon Shuster, who is taking on the role of
The Tin Man speaks about his experience with Secondary Characters this summer. “Getting to strengthen friendships and form new ones has been really fun. The cast is a great group to work with and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
“Our creative team of directors and designers have come up with a unique take on this classic story that honours its spirit and leaves our audience thinking relevant and magical thoughts,” says Shelley Wojcik, Secondary Characters’ Co-Artistic Director and Co-Founder. This breathtaking show is a project that everyone involved in so far has become very excited about. It combines the familiar and the unexplored in unexpected ways, and Secondary Characters hopes everyone enjoys the surprises in store!
The Wizard of Oz runs JULY 28th – AUGUST 7th at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.
Evening Performances | July 28th-30th, August 4th-6th
Matinee Performance | July 31st & August 7th
7:30pm Showtimes
2.00pm Showtime
Tickets are $25.00 for Adults, $20.00 for Students and Seniors.
For tickets call 604-391-SHOW (7469)
For more details please visit Secondary Characters’ website at www.secondarycharacters.org
