Review of 'The Wizard of Oz' at Seven Angels

Waterbury, CT - The Stage 7 Community Theatre at Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury is taking audiences on a trip to Oz with a wonderfully colorful production of THE WIZARD OF OZ, The cast of community theatre performers of all ages worked together for just under a month with their fearless director Jimmy Donohue, who also took on the role of the Lion in the show, and his right hand assistant director Michelle Gotay.

In his Director’s Letter, Mr. Donohue describes the 7A summer production as “a home where many of our local talents can share the limelight and deliver a family-friendly production.” To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the MGM classic, the group used The Royal Shakespeare Company version of the classic by L. Frank Baum with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, with the book adaptation by John Kane. Madeleine Tommins made the time to be in charge of the charming choreography and Kimberly Jackson was in charge of the ever changing scenic design. The multi-colored and effective lighting was designed by Tori Campbell and Matt Martin was in charge of the sound. TJ Thompson directed the music that he knows inside and out.

The musicians included Mr. Thompson on piano as he conducted the others: Charles Smith on keyboard 2, Dan Kraszewski on bass, Ciara Connolly on drums and Louise Gagnon on violin. From the opening notes of the overture to the finale, the small group made the most of the well-known score.

I was most impressed with the performance of Madeleine Tommins in the role of Dorothy Gale. The young actress, who writes that she is “absolutely thrilled to step into this iconic role,” honestly looked as if she was born to play the role. With her crystal clear voice and the lovely dancing to the choreography that she had designed, Ms. Tommins was the quintessential Dorothy. Ms. Tommins’ credits include ROCK ‘N’ ROLL REDEMPTION and THE WHO’S TOMMY.

Ms. Tommins was backed up by a trio of top community theatre talent. Justin Torres (who made his professional debut in 7A’s THE WHO’S TOMMY) brought plenty of charm (and pratfalls) to the role of the Scarecrow/the farmhandHunk; you couldn’t help but fall for him in this role. Carey Cannata, the coordinator of the 7A summer theatre camp, donned the silver makeup to play the Tinman/Hickory and made it all look easy. Watching James Donohue as the Cowardly Lion was totally worth the ticket price. Mr. Donohue was last seen on this stage as Man#3/Waiter in FIRST DATE, and he was just a good as Horton the Elephant in SEUSSICAL and Big Bopper in ROCK ‘N’ ROLL REDEMPTION.

Scott Kealey writes that he returns to the stage to be in the show so that his 16-year-old son can finally see him in a play. Mr. Kealey took on the role of Professor Marvel and the Wizard himself. His level of professionalism was apparent in both of his roles. Pam Amodio, an actress, director and stage manager, was a wicked Wicked Witch of the West and a fearsome Miss Gulch. Her next assignment is directing STAR SPANGLED GIRL at Castle Craig Players in Meriden.

Cristin Marshall, fresh off her wonderful performance in I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE at CCT in Berlin, was an explosion of fairy dust and bubbles in the role of Glinda and quite the opposite as Auntie Em. Playing this role made one of her childhood dreams come true, and she charmed the audience with her performance. The wonderfully deep voice of Joe Stofko was the perfect fit for Uncle Henry and the head of the Winkies.

Robert Melendez (THE WHO’S TOMMY, JCS, TRAVLIN: THE 1930’s HARLEM MUSICAL) was a joy in the role of the Palace Guard and a featured member of the male ensemble. Tina Vlamis, a performance major at WCSU, was a featured female ensemble member, as was Sydney Yargeau (JCS) a junior at Marymount Manhattan College in NYC. Nicole Thomas, a rising freshman at SCSU was another featured female ensemble member and Aubrie Dell-Agnese, a Torrington HS grad heading to Wagner College in the fall, made her 7A debut in the ensemble.

The always adorable Coton Zawisza (SEUSSICAL, EARLENE”s DINER) was the Mayor of Munchkin City. Diane Delucia Sharon Amundsen, and Norma Jean Lombard played both Munchkins and Ozians. Geno Bascetta charmed the audience as Nikko the Flying Monkey and a member of the Lollipop Guild. Ella Perrotti (TOM SAWYER) and nine year old Ashlyn Leigh Kish made up the Lullaby League. Bryce Zalewski (TOM SAWYER) was the other member of the L. Guild.

The beautiful Lily Thompson (with 25 community theatre credits and still in high school at Taft) sang beautifully as a Munchkin, Beautician and Winkie accompanied by her talented dad in the pit.

I don’t usually devote an entire paragraph to a canine member of the cast, but Mr. Mylo, a 12 year old poodle mix from Milford, was so well-behaved throughout his entire performance that I have to mention him separately. If he had any stage fright in his first role in the world of theatre, it certainly didn’t show. He went from actor to actor easily and spent more time onstage than any other Toto I can remember. Kudos to this “young at heart” performer on an outstanding debut.

There was a group that distributed black and white wands to the youngest members of the audience before the show began. They were members of the Young Professionals of the Waterbury Region—YPOWR. They also gave out two tickets to our first production of the 29th Mainstage Season, Honky Tonk Laundy.

Click to read the review of this production written by my colleague Howard Steven Frydman. (Shared with permission)

Seven Angels is about to embark on the journey that will be their 29th season. In the audience at the preview I attended was 1320 AM WATR’ Tom Chute and his lovely wife, the assistant director Ms. Gotay, photographer Gary Rosengrant and season ticket holders Linda and Mike Vignola.

Take the family to see THE WIZARD OF OZ. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids and a family 4 pack is $70. (Purchase Family 4 pack by phone or at box office only.) Plus, on Friday and Saturday June 12 & 13 there is free ice cream for the kids and half price specialty drinks for adults. Doors and Devil’s Corner Bar open one hour before the show. To purchase call the box office at 203-757-4676, online at SevenAngelsTheatre.org, or at the box office at 1 Plank Road, Waterbury. Free Parking. Just off I-84, Minutes from Route 8. GPS directions use: Hamilton Park, Waterbury

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.

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