WONDERS, WOWS & WINKIES: Thalian Association stages a truly wonderful ‘Wizard of Oz'

This past Friday at the opening night of “The Wizard of Oz,” the lobby of the historic Thalian Hall matched the spinning hustle and twirling bustle of a twister!

Correlating with this year’s Azaela Festival, as the official theatrical event of the festival, the Thalian Association’s latest production truly pulled out all the stop for this year’s festivities. “The Wizard of Oz,” masterfully guided by director Sam Chappell, displays just how magical the theater scene is here in Wilmington.

Between the 126-year-old book, the 87-year-old film, and the 39-year-old musical, the plot needn’t be traversed like a well-traveled yellow brick road. Though for anyone who has been living under a cultural rock for over a century here you go. The sweet yet naive Dorothy Gale (a phenomenal Joelle Buck) runs away from her farmhouse home in Kanas, when her much beloved dog Toto is threatened by the local, mean, old bit… I mean witch Miss. Gulch. Dorothy’s adventure with Toto is thrown for a technicolor loop when she is picked up by a tornado; hurled into the Wonderful Land of Oz!

The original “Maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way” story, “The Wizard of Oz” taught generations that if they just approach life with a bit of brains, heart and courage, they’ll always find their way home. A message that this staging more than captures with a perfect mixture of the cast and crew talents, creating endless whimsy which will dazzle and delight audiences!

The 1939 film’s use of technicolor with revealing Oz is often cited as colors “first best” use in cinema. Where the dry browns of sepia tone Kansas are replaced with a kaleidoscope of colors once Dorothy crashes in the magical land. That sense of awe is creatively lifted from the screen to the stage with set and lighting designs. Hunter Wyatt’s sets pair in perfect tandem with Andrew Fisher’s lighting, each departments work is in sync showcasing the best aspect of the other. The rotating columns that help to change the locations from Kansa to Munchkin City, to the Emerald City and to the Witch’s castle! These pillars on lazy Susans keeping the production’s runtime tight and scene changes quick.

Fisher re-creates that sepia tone aesthetic perfectly on the opening moments of the show. The Gale’s home is the definition of Dust Bowl quaint; a stunning sun rises is created when Fisher’s lighting strikes one of Wyatt’s flats. Audiences will be treated to one stunning visual after the next. Fisher also uses a clever yellow wash on the stage floor to create the yellow brick road.

The triumph of stagecraft continues with Melanie Hodge’s fanciful costume design. The work put forth decking out the citizens of Munchkin City was top-notch and other-worldly in their designs and execution. Perfectly visualizing to the audience, they are not in Kanas anymore. Hodge’s real standouts are of course are the costumes worn by the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion.

Hodge’s costuming allots for the trio to be able to carry out Logan Hayes and Katie Auletti-Smith’s excellent choreography for the production. Of particular detail was how the physicality of each character is taken into account for costuming and the choreography. The Tin Man, for example, while hitting the step is more rigid as he has less joints to bend at. The polar opposite is shown with the Scarecrow, who’s boneless body is allotted more chaotic motion. The choreography team unitizes the full scope of Thalian Hall’s space during the infamous poppies scene. Where they have the leads are guided to the stage down the theater’s aisles by a plethora of poisonous poppies.

Also incorporating streamers into the tornado number was a fun touch to what was unfortunately an underwhelming twister scene. Images are projected against the stage wall, such as the whirling tornado and the big reveal of the Emerald City. These moments fell flat on opening night; the lighting caused them to be difficult to see. Though OZ the Great and Powerful is depicted through a similar projection style, there the effect landed much clearer and to it’s wanted affect.

Few roles are as iconic for actors to step into than this cast of characters from “The Wizard of Oz.” Before most anyone could talk, they had seen some rendition of “Oz” and selected a favorite character. Personally, I was always partial to The Scarecrow. So, I was very happy with the character’s portrayal by Phillip Bernier, who grants the mindless strawman a wide-eye innocence, perfect to be Dorothy’s first friend on her journey. Bernier must be completely made of rubber, the full-body performance the actor puts to stage is pure fire! Just keep that fire far away from him.

Though he might be missing his own heart, Jack Larrabee’s  Tin Man serves as the heart of this production. Larrabee has an honest aw-shucks energy about him that encapsulates the Tin Man’s heroic nature, and of the three “If I Only Had A…” numbers his yearning for a heart was the best of the them all.

Georgie Davis’s comedic time matches cat-like reflexes, which is purrfection as the actress steps into the role of the Cowardly Lion. Davis is one the best talents gracing a Wilmington stage these days, no hyperbole. It was her playing the Lion which first put this production on my “need to see” radar, and Davis continues to make me one of her biggest fans. From scoring laughs with the dialogue, to the utter ownership of number “If I were King of the Forest” Davis once again is worth the price of admission all on her own.

When the Cour Four finally banded together and are off skipping along to see the Wizard, the production’s magic is in full force.

Speaking of The Wizard, Lilly Goddard embodies the role with a gypsy fortuneteller/used car shyster vibe, someone wheeling and dealing to not get caught in a lie that got out of hand. As well Noelle Smith’s take on Glinda the Good Witch plays very much to the same tune as the modern “Wicked” iteration of the character, bubbly.

Do you know how evil a person has to be for their job title to become their name? Literally, the role is called The Wicked Witch of the West! A character who’s sickly green skin and boundless evil has haunted children’s nightmares for decades. It also just happens to be a role that Lizz Matthews gleefully and perfectly brings to stage. Audiences will easily  see how Dorothy would conjure the Wicked Witch from Matthews utterly heartless turn as Miss Gulch. Seriously, what type of person wants to hurt a dog? Matthews’ work also incorporates the most technical aspects, caked in layers of green make-up and what appeared to blood red contacts. An imposing figure of evil is cut by the actress. The fire effect that she shoots from her hands left me stunned.

I attention saved any note on Joelle Buck’s performance as Dorothy Gale till now, saving the best of last and all. The ease which Buck plays Dorothy with one could almost call her work effortless. However, that would be such a disserve to all the hard work the actress has put into playing the role so well. When Buck began to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” the chills admittedly set in, the beauty of the actress’s voice filled the Hall with such an empathic power that by the end of it, I was wiping tears from my eyes. Buck’s performance is as magical as the show itself.

I would also be remised if I didn’t mention the pint-sized ensemble of kid actors who took to the stage as the residents of Munchkin City, the Poppies, and Flying Monkeys! All of the kids cast were fantastic and I only wish I had the word count to include all of their names here.

What makes “The Wizard of Oz” a special story is that everyone has some special memory connect to it. Popular lines and moments from the well-known movie were being applauded by the packed house Friday night. Children arrive dressed up as their favorite characters, I counted one Scarecrow, three Dorothys, two Witches, and a baby dressed like the Lion. That alone ensures the next generation will grow up knowing and loving this story just as much. For being a part of that larger legacy every member of Thalian’s “The Wizard of Oz” should be over the rainbow with the work they have turned in. Audiences should rush on down that yellow brick road to Thalian Hall, and experience this magical production for themselves.

Details

The Wizard of Oz

Historic Main Stage | Thalian Hall

April 10-19 · 2026 | Fri-Sat 7:30 p.m. · Sun 2 p.m.

thalianhall.org