TASSS Students Bringing 'The Wizard of Oz' Musical To Life After Three-Year Hiatus
/After being unable to cast a theatrical production for three years, students of Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School (TASSS) are back on the stage, putting on ‘The Wizard of Oz’ musical scheduled with four public shows in June.
TASSS students Izzy Lloyd (left) and Aimee Simmons (right) playing Tin Man and Scarecrow in a rehearsal for their musical production of The Wizard of Oz. 50 students are involved in the production with actors in Grades 11 and 12 while Grade 10 students work as stage hands. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The school was unable to put on a play for the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a long hiatus, the students are eager to get on stage and perform before a live audience according to Michaela Hetherington, TASSS music director.
“The anticipation and the excitement is really building as we get closer,” she said.
Roughly 50 students are involved in the musical production. Grade 10 students are stagehands while Grades 11 and 12 are performing in the production.
Auditions began back in February and students have been working tirelessly to be ready for showtime in June.
“We have students that help out on their first and second-period spares when they don't have class, lunchtime rehearsals and after school,” explained Hetherington. “They've made costumes, set pieces and painting. If you can think of something that goes into a production, they've done it.”
The production is directed and choreographed by Bryanna Ostrander who is also an instructor at Imagine Studios. Justin Hiscox is the music supervisor of the production.
Dates for the shows are as follows:
June 1, 7 p.m.
June 2, 7 p.m.
June 3, 2 p.m.
June 3, 7 p.m.
