STAGE REVIEW : ‘Oz’ Tops Its Opening-Night Glitches

Fire, flying and a real live Toto too? With the help of special effects and a shaggy little dog, California Music Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz” spectacular largely overcame opening-night glitches at the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena.

The blazing pyrotechnic blasts--capable of warming patrons several rows back from the stage, but, remarkably, leaving the cast unscathed--guarantee enthusiastic audience appeal, as does the look of the show, a close reproduction of the MGM movie classic.

The lavish sets and costumes from a St. Louis Municipal Opera production--scenic design credited to Paul Wonsek, costumes to Stephanie Miller--include apple-tossing, talking trees, moody painted backdrops, green-spangled acrobats and a huge, scary wizard face.

Kids will love it.

Looks aside, the show, adapted by John Kane and directed by James Rocco, is a pleasant holiday family diversion. Adrienne Stiefel, 13, carries the lead with confidence, playing Judy Garland playing Dorothy, from body language to speech patterns. There are no lasting resonances in her solos, but her voice is strong and mature.

The Scarecrow (Joshua Carr), the Tin Woodsman (A. Michael Baldwin) and the Cowardly Lion (Joseph Hanna) are immediately familiar. Hanna’s Bert Lahrish mugging--with some John Wayne and Archie Bunker thrown in--is a crowd favorite. Carr distinguishes himself as a dancer in the offbeat “Jitterbug” number (cut from the movie) and Baldwin’s Tin Man offers a heartfelt solo.

Only Laura Ryan’s lines as the Wicked Witch depart noticeably from the movie version. She recognizes the dead witch’s feet because “who else would wear ruby slippers with those socks?” When her Winkie soldiers intone their familiar marching song, she howls, “Why must you always sing that loathsome dirge?”

Ryan gets laughs, but the effect is bothersome when the thrust of the rest of the show seems to be to come as close to the movie as possible.

The glitches: Opening-night problems with the flying mechanism Saturday sent Glinda the Good Witch (Ann Rittenhouse) creaking in for a backward entrance and left a Flying Monkey open to Ryan’s best ad-lib of the night: “Land, will you! Land!” The Wizard (Morgan Rusler) made his balloon exit from Oz convincingly, until the basket swung back into view, sans Wizard, and a stage hand was caught in the spotlight shoving Dorothy’s house out over the audience’s heads when the “tornado” didn’t do the trick.

The Munchkins, played by a charming children’s chorus, lent an inadvertent school-play flavor. They acquitted themselves well in the song-and-dance department, but waiting for cues was a strain: A little girl lifted her long skirt to make some vital adjustment, a boy had an itch under his hat that wouldn’t wait, and another child’s sleeves required close and irritated inspection.

The sound--credited to Kieren McClelland, with sound effects and consulting by Jon Gottlieb--was the most serious distraction. Erratic miking frequently picked up thuds and crackles, while an actor’s voice would often boom out one moment, then recede disconcertingly as he took a step or two.

The musical score by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, with background music by Herbert Stothart, came through with dash, however. Conducted by Jeff Rizzo, the orchestra sailed expertly through mishap and merriment.

Ward Carlisle’s lights missed a few cues but sustained the mood overall. Rick Hegalson did the rousing special effects, including showers of sparks and green fire; Rocco and Peggy Hickey supplied lively choreography.

Toto was word perfect.