It’s been a few years since Mona Wood Patterson and Charles Ford left their mark on a generation of thespians at Durango High School. Apparently, the draw of theater education is a powerful one, as their next theatrical production also will be an educational experience for all involved.
The husband-and-wife team have continued with theatrical productions under the auspices of Merely Players since their retirement from DHS, and next up is a May stage musical version of “The Wizard of Oz.” The cast will be a mix of adult and child actors, the latter of whom will receive a few months of intensive theatrical training from Wood Patterson, Ford, the crew and their cast mates.
“We’re looking for adult actors who will be good in the roles but will also lead by their work ethic and example,” Ford said. “The adults won’t have to participate in classes, but it’s so the young kids can see how the older people behave themselves, learn their lines, and so they can be polite and skillful within a large cast.”
The cast will consist of about 20 students and 15 adults.
The kids also will attend classes with musical director Ivy Walker and choreographer Shea Costa, as well as with Ford and his tech crew members. “The Wizard of Oz” will present a series of challenges to the talented Ford, who will have to construct sets for the many locales within the story. Equally challenging will be the makeup, costuming (which will be handled by JoAnn Nevils) and myriad special effects that add a magical quality to the story. None need fear the kinds of effects said to befall actors and crew in the many apocryphal stories about the 1939 film version. (Buddy Ebsen, for example, famously handed the role of the Scarecrow to Jack Haley after Ebsen suffered painful side effects from the metallic makeup.)
We use the same kind that body-painters use – it doesn’t dye the skin,” Ford said.
Auditions for “The Wizard of Oz” will be held in January and the show will open May 3 at the Durango Arts Center.