Wizard of Oz delivers loads of fun

If the actors guild gave out dog Oscars, a top contender would be Lily, a purebred cairn terrier playing Toto in Festival Players' adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

From the first moment the adorable four-pawed, wet-nosed actor trotted beside Dorothy, there was an explosive burst of “aahs” that rippled across the crowd at Festival Place in Sherwood Park. It was the magic of star power at work and it never abated throughout the evening.

Although various adaptations are circling the world, director Norm Usiskin's Depression-era spectacle is quite faithful to the 1939 MGM movie.

Defining the tone is designer David L. Lovett's set, where a Kansas tornado whisks Dorothy away from the dull-brown sepia landscape of furrowed fields to the brilliant hues of Oz.

The Emerald City in particular has an art deco quality with steep walls pitched almost at an angle. And the Wicked Witch of the West lives in a hellish black and red dungeon that could have been inspired from an Edvard Munch painting.

The Wizard of Oz has resonated for generations as the story of a girl caught between the tensions of yearning for adventure and freedom, and accepting the love and imperfections of family. She is at once headstrong, vulnerable and loyal to a fault, and we love Dorothy for her strengths and flaws.

Stepping in Judy Garland's sparkly ruby slippers is a tough gig to follow, but the gingham-attired Kathleen Sera has a natural, easy presence as Dorothy. The strongest singer in the 50-actor troupe, her voice has a bell-like purity that really stands out in the plaintive Over the Rainbow.

St. Albert's Josh Languedoc as the Cowardly Lion is the strongest presence of her three compadres, which also include the Tin Man and Scarecrow. Drawing from a strong improv background, Languedoc's lion delivers an over-the-top bravado brilliantly mixed with a faint-hearted helplessness that routinely steals the spotlight.

Brett Bews's floppy Scarecrow grows from a charming empty-headed straw man to the merry band's spirited leader. It is only Daniel Belland as the Tin Man that lacks energy and appears to hold onto the others' coattails for support.

As the quartet travel the Yellow Brick Road across sleep-inducing poppy fields and haunted forests, the hook-nosed Wicked Witch of the West descends from a high ceiling to create her brand of mischief.

Elizabeth Marsh is the green-faced, malevolent, flame-throwing, somewhat sexy villainess who is out to disrupt the foursome's spirit of camaraderie and steal back her sister's ruby slippers. And she appears to love every spiteful moment.

Throughout the production, several mini-gems leap out, such as the march of the Winkies, the flying monkeys and the Wizard's high-tech rumbling scene resembling a Dr. Who episode.

But the cast really outdoes themselves in the boogie-woogie Jitterbug, a fairly lengthy, high-intensity dance choreographed by Shelley Tookey.

The song list of classics is intact with endearing numbers such as Yellow Brick Road, We're Off to See the Wizard and Ding! Dong! The Witch is Dead. What gave the Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg catalogue an elegant dynamic was the 22-member live orchestra conducted by Sally Hunt.

Live music always creates a charged warmth not present in pre-recorded material, and it just adds more heart to the whole evening.

The Wizard of Oz runs until Friday, Dec. 30. Check www.festivalplace.ab.ca for times.