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Health & Fitness

Naugatuck HS and Western School Drama Club in Rehearsal for 'The Wizard of Oz'

Munchkins and teens work together to bring the beloved musical to the NHS stage.

The students in the newly merged Naugatuck High School and Western School Drama Club are in rehearsal for their upcoming young performers version of The Wizard of Oz. I was able to attend a recent after-school practice at the Davis Auditorium in the quickly transforming high school. The members of the cast that attend said high school began their rehearsal before I arrived and the students from Western joined them after they got out of school.

A group of high school students were doing battle with the light board. They were able to play the tracks on the rehearsal CD when director Stephanie Colella requested them repeatedly. Assistant Director Cathy Lungarini helped the singers stay together and even plunked out a few lines on the piano.

There is a large contingency of "littles," that is, the performers that attend Western School. They interact well with the teens and even pretend to be them at recess. They call NHS Drama Club President Preston Bogan, who plays the Scarecrow in the show, a variety of names including President Preston. Michael Newman will play the Tin Man and a Western student has been cast as the Cowardly Lion.

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I got to see two musical production numbers that involved all the younger members of the cast and a few of the teens. Kaylin Spaulding plays the Mayor of Munchkinland in the scene where the Munchkins introduce themselves to Dorothy and Danielle D'Olivera enters as the Wicked Witch of the West. Three young men represent the Lollipop Guild and six young ladies represent the Lullabye League, complete with the requisite choreography. The multitalented Ms. Spaulding, who will also play Auntie Em, helped the young dancers with one tricky step.

The ever vigilant director gave frequent reminders to "turn out" to the audience so that their faces could be seen. When the witch appears in Munchkinland, the members of the chorus will not run and hide, but will curl into a ball onstage. And wait until you see the human Yellow Brick Road.

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Ten minutes before the scheduled dismissal time, the students came off the stage. Many of the teens had already left the auditorium for sectional band practice. A few of the younger cast members brought their show folders over to Alex Hernandez, who will play the role of Dorothy, and asked for her autograph. She graciously obliged.

Miss Colella thanked the cast members for working so hard as they prepared to meet their parents in the lobby to be signed out. I was totally impressed with what I saw and am looking forward to attending the show in February.
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