theatre review - THE WIZARD OF OZ - Valley Youth Theatre - June 9, 2017

Kendra Richards, Jared Barbee, Asher Sheppard, and Steven Enriquez
photo by Cliff Cesar

Click here for more information on this production that runs through June 25th.

"The Wizard of Oz is the classic, moving tale of a young girl's journey to find herself and it also proves to be a perfect theatrical endeavor for a youth theatre company. With a great cast and excellent creative elements, Valley Youth Theatre's sumptuous production results in a family-friendly crowd-pleasing hit....VYT's production pulls out all of the stops, with large set pieces, colorful and imaginative costumes and a cast who deliver superb performances of these iconic characters. Under Bobb Cooper's skilled direction, his teenage leads all achieve excellent performances that hint at but never truly mimic their famous film counterpoints. Kendra Richards delivers a perfect portrayal of Dorothy. From pensive and unsure to headstrong and optimistic, Richards hits all the right wide-ranging emotional notes that Dorothy experiences on her journey to Oz. ...As the three men Dorothy meets on the road to meet the Wizard, Jared Barbee, Asher Sheppard, and Steven Enriquez all deliver excellent performances. ...Alexis Harris has the right balance of menace and evil as the Wicked Witch of the West, yet includes just a hint of humor to not be too scary for any small children in the audience. As Glinda, Tiana Marks is regal and effervescent with a beautiful singing voice while Ethan Maxwell is both conniving and charming as the mysterious Wizard. Musical director Mark Fearey achieves a lovely sound from the large cast and orchestra. While the show features a slightly abridged ending that doesn't quite take us all the way back to Dorothy's Kansas bedroom, which is my only quibble, Cooper does add in a simply stunning version of "Over the Rainbow" sung by all of Dorothy's Kansas farm friends that is a showstopper in both its simplicity and its ability to be incredibly moving and filled with emotion. ..Karol Cooper's non-stop, jaw-dropping parade of imaginative, colorful and creative costumes are very impressive. ...Choreographer Nathalie Velasquez provides some fun and fancy steps that are well danced by the cast. With a highly talented cast and bright and colorful creative elements that help effectively create the fairy-tale, dreamlike world of Oz and the many colorful characters who live there, VYT's The Wizard of Oz is incredibly entertaining and a delicious treat for children of all ages. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)