Twelve-year-old Madison Bennett stars as Dorothy, a young actress whose Over the Rainbow is sweet and pleading and hopeful. Of course, actually finding yourself thrown over the rainbow by a twister and being threatened by a wicked old witch would make anyone eager to start making friends, and her first friend is none other than her real-life brother, Miles Bennett. The two of them have fantastic rapport as he gets his feet under him and, with good physical comedy, helps guiding her down the yellow brick road.

Coincidentally, two other siblings play her other friends – the talented Cramer brothers consisting of Jonathan Cramer as the Tin Man and David Cramer as the Cowardly Lion. Jonathan’s gentle voice and demeanor is all heart, but with a great sense of humor as well (like letting out a hopeless groan when his rusted lips don’t seem to be able to communicate the importance of “oil can” to the Scarecrow). And older brother David Cramer is a marvel throughout, a comedic genius who owns the stage as he infuses the Cowardly Lion with creative humor, personality, and vocal work whether he’s doing a funky dance and turning a roar into a meow, all of his prowess coming to bear on his If I Were King. But even with all that talent, he can’t convince a hesitant Dorothy to look up and see if his nose is bleeding.

Dorothy’s terrific group of friends are met with an equally terrific adversary. Elizabeth Argot begins with one of the best takes on Miss Gultch, scrapping the normally cartoonish portrayal for a bitter and business-like misanthrope. Her Wicked Witch of the West is also more bitter than over-the-top evil, and it works well. She can also bring it singing-wise, leading the way through The Jitterbug song and dance.

Elsewhere, Taylor Pfenning and Jonathan Metzger are good, natural farmers and guardians Henry and Em. Diana Lebar is a sweet Glinda who, as the Good Witch of the North, disappears not by pink bubble but via white snowstorm. Colin Kovarik is a gentler, kinder, less humbuggy sort of Professor Marvel and Wizard (when he gets caught behind the curtain, the video screen depicting Oz’s dramatic alter-ego turns into the off-the-air color bars). And little Toto too does very well, generating some extra laughs with he decides to go for a new entrance – unseen hands gently pushing the sitting Toto onto the stage.

Director Christopher Ninness and his team put together a good show with some creative touches. The 3-D glasses to view the wizard’s monstrous alter ego was a fun idea even if the effect on the video was minimal. The tornado scene was well done with black lighting and having the house following the illuminated stockings of the doomed Wicked Witch of the East, drawing us into the land of Oz featuring a bunch of adorable Munchkins who are very curious and nervous about Dorothy’s arrival, as well as an impressive bunch of Emerald City Ozians who welcome us to the Emerald City with their dynamic personalities and dancing to Chelsea Lapp’s original and varied choreography that helps make Dorothy’s, and our, trip away from home a most entertaining one.

Performed May 1 - 10, 2009

Rob Hopper
Executive Director
National Youth Theatre