NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Thalian prepares to take Wilmington somewhere over the rainbow

Chase Harrison
Apr 6
6 min read

Spring has officially sprung here in the Cape Fear! Skies are baby blue, hot-pink Azalea bushes are in full bloom, and neon-yellow pollen covers everyone’s cars!

It’s a technicolor time of year here; it is also the time of year for the Azalea Festival. For 79 years now Wilmington has celebrated the blossoming of Spring with this seasonal event; gardens are toured, a parade is held, and a queen is crowned. It’s a good time had by all, ringing in the tourist season for the Port City. Always aiming to provide the most entertainment for the city’s guest and lively locals, the North Carolina Azalea Festival itself team-ups with the Thalian Association to stage a musical of dazzling whimsy.

The musical selected for this year, though, just may capture that technicolor magic better than any, “The Wizard of Oz.” From book to film to stage, the adventures of Dorthy Gale in the land of OZ is a timeless classic, known by generation after generation. A world first created by L. Frank Baum, this musical adaptation is by John Kane with songs by Harold Arlen and E.Y Harburg.

While the city prepares for the full-fledged festivities of Azalea Fest 2026, the cast and crew of the Thalian Association’s “The Wizard of Oz” are ramping up for the ever dreaded “Hell Week” to begin. Where like the twister is the story itself, the creatives are spinning every which way to get it all ready for opening night. That being April 10^th, where the production will play through the 19^th on the Main Stage at the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts.

It was one of those peak Port City spring days that at the Hannah Block Historic USO in downtown Wilmington, I patiently awaiting the arrival of a director, a tin man, and a lion… Oh my!

In a back offices at the USO I sat down with Sam Chappell, the director of the production to discuss the show’s pending opening night, along with what it means to shape a timeless story. As well we were joined by cast members, Georgie Davis who is taking on the maned mantle of the Cowedly Lion and Jack Larrabee playing the lovable but heartless Tin Woodsman.

Right off the bat, the director made it known she is walking down a well-traveled yellow bricked road, “Everybody has encountered the ‘Wizard of Oz’ at some point in their lives” Chappell remarks. “For me, I remember that it was the very first movie I watched with my family, at 3 years old!” she exclaims. “And especially if you are in theater, either you’ve been in it already, or you saw it as a kid.”

She adds, “When I first saw the musical as a child I remember seeing kids playing the Munchkins and thinking ‘Wait that’s something I can do?!?”

Georgie chimes in with a chuckle, “'The Wizard of OZ' was the very first show I did as a child, I was the Mayor of Munchkin City. I hope there are some kids in the audience who see this and just think, WOW that looks so fun and magical! Maybe I could be a Dorthy, or Tin Man, or Lion?”

Chappell stresses through that while the story is a known classic, there have been a few shake-ups to keep it modern and fresh. “I want to tell this classic story that everyone knows and loves, yes” the director assures, “BUT a classic story can have a different meaning now in 2026 than it did whenever any of us first saw it. Because this is a tale that is so well known, we were not afraid to mess with the elements that are seen as “classic.”

Chappell goes on to cite, “For instance, we have a woman playing the Wizard. There are so many times where women hide behind these preconceived notion to be seen as professional as a man. I told the actress playing the Wizard to search for the reasons you need the people of the Emerald City to see you this way. Why do you hide behind this Wizard mask? All that to say my overall vision is to tell the classic tale but to channel struggles that we are seeing today.”

The director does want to make sure audiences will be getting all of what they know and love from the story on stage as well. “What is so grateful for this version of the script is that it is very similar to the movie. When people see it they will recognize those scenes and this world real quickly.”

Georgie agrees, adding on: “This has honestly been the easiest script I’ve every learned because part of it is already in my head.” The Lion being another gender-swapped role for the production, Georgie Davis is more than ready to sink her claws into the famous role.

“The Lion is one of the most iconic parts of the movie, just because of Bert Lahr’s performance. His voice, his mannerisms, he just makes such interesting and fun choices. I can’t copy that; I’m not Bert Lahr. I can get inspired by it, but my Lion is mine. Georgie goes on to drop in the detail that “Similar, I’m a New Yorker, so do I bring that New Yorker flare that Lahr brought to it as well? I do. That said there are a lot of elements I’m playing with it that are just making it the Georgie version.”

The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are due roles, with the same actors filling out the farmer hands for the Gale’s ranch. Inevitably this will lead to a quick change or two for these actors. When I broached the subject with the team the director timidly raised her hand and proclaimed…

“That’s a sore subject in this room. They’re mad at me about this.”

Georgie counters quickly looking over to her director with wide eyes and a sweet reply, “We’re not mad!” Davis turns to face me, this time repeated the statement with an underlining sense of humor and a hair of seriousness.

“We’re not mad, just stressed.”

Georgie goes on to add, “I’m thinking how much I’m going to be sweating, and it keeps me up at night.” She wants the audience to know that this is a very physical show for its four leads. “It’s a heavy stamina show. Once we are on stage we do not leave, and poor, Joelle (Joelle Buck is starring as Dorthy Gale) she does not step off the stage.”

Another level added to the onstage excitement is the production’s decision to have a real dog to play the role of Toto. Our interview was well-timed, as this was also the first day the cast would be working their canine co-star, Arlo. The sheer joy beaming from the castmates about meeting the doggo was palpable. Though they all recognize the added challenge that a live animal brings to a production, as Georgie distinctly points out, “You can never know how they are going to behave.”

For how well known the story maybe, there are always elements altered adaptation to adaptation. With that in mind, I ask the team what’s something they look forward to surprising the audience with? While Larrabee broke the silence, everyone was in quick agreement over his answer. “Well, there is The Jitterbug?”

Rapid fire replies flew at hearing this; Chappell added “Yes! Obsessed!” While Georgie gave the chef’s kiss response “Iconic.”

Larrabee goes one to add “It’s the biggest number that’s not feature in the movie. It’s this big dance break that is going to be…” He measures his words then answers, “…Interesting once I try out the full costume for the first time.” He would also go into how a lot of the characters backstories are expanded upon and fleshed out too. “So, like for example with my character the Tin Woodsman…”

The director quickly cuts him off as to not spoil the surprise, “Oh, I don’t want to give that away, but that is the first thing I thought of too! During our first read through, we got to that section of just HOW the tin woodsman became the tin woodsman, we were all like, WHAT! We thought this was a children’s story!”

They all laughed at this, sharing a knowing nod of acknowledgment to let this detail linger until the curtain raises on April 10.

Chappell also mentions how the production’s scenic designer, Hunter Wyatt, is pulling inspiration from the film, “We’re defiantly playing with starting out more black-and-white, washed out and moving into the more colorful. The costumes too!” Which is being handled by Melanie Hodge for the musical.

At that it was time for the trio to make their way to see the Wizard at rehearsal. As I made my way home to write, there really is no place like home…

Now, where have I heard that before?