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“We
are pleased to have visiting royalty today,” remarked Queen Ann Soforth (Joanna
Bert) as she greeted us on our way into the theatre Saturday afternoon for  | Drink. (L to R) Dorothy (Tiffany Joy Williams), Queen
Coo-ee-oh
(Rachel Galper), Queen Anne Soforth (Joanna Bert) |
the
matinee performance of Dorothy’s
Adventures in Oz at the Santa Monica Playhouse. It is such an unusual
pleasure to be treated “as royalty” anywhere in LA that we couldn’t help but
smile right off the bat. She hoped her cast performed to our “royal
expectations.” And they certainly did.
We
were seated by Polychrome (Juliet Ladines) who was aflutter in her rainbow
costume. The stadium seating in the annex theatre treated all of us, even those
less than three feet tall, to a perfect view of the stage. Surprisingly, the
set was minimal: all black with three large screens; a departure from the usual
set at the Playhouse.
The
show started at 3:07 (seven minutes late as usual – which is honestly a gift
for those of us with kids), and immediately captivated the young audience. The
three projection screens were used as changing backdrop and landscape for each
new scene. The show started as expected in Kansas with Dorothy Gale (Tiffany
Joy Williams) and Aunty Em (Betsy Albert) on the farm. But from there, nothing
was the usual…
In
this unusual version, Dorothy has already been to and returned from Oz, but now
wants to go back to find Princess Ozma to help save Aunty Em’s farm from
foreclosure. After she is taunted for her imagination by Aunty Em, Dorothy
returns to Oz to meet the first of her three traveling companions, Patches
(also Betsy Albert), a wise gentle patchwork character who has replaced the
scarecrow of the original. They later join forces with Polychrome and Queen Ann
Soforth as they each venture to find Ozma for their own reasons. But they are
taunted and tested by the wily evil Queen Coo-eh-oh (Rachel Galper), who is
truly a character we love to hate. As
she reveals, she likes to make children drop their ice cream cones and delights
in poisoning zebras in the zoo. While she comes after Dorothy and her friends,
we wonder if they will find Queen Ozma before it is too late?
 | The Cast of Dorothy's
Adventures in Oz Happily
Ever
After.Backrow: ueen Coo-ee-oh
(Rachel Galper) Center Row L to R:
The Daughter of the Rainbow King
(Juliet
Ladines), Queen Anne Soforth
Front Row L to R: Dorothy Gale
(Tiffany Joy
Williams),The Patchwork
Girl (Betsy Albert)
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I
cannot spoil it for you…but I will tell you that this performance, as usual for
the Playhouse, was awash with puns, adult humor, and clever songs, along with
moral messages for our progeny about the importance of imagination and
friendship. A musical jaunt to Oz and beyond, it is an afternoon spent with a
smile at the unusual. We thoroughly enjoyed the performance, the cookies at
intermission, and the courtyard courtesy of the actors after the show. All
actors were on hand to greet and impress the young audience, take photos, and
answer all my questions about the theatre, the new screens, and the process of
performing at the Playhouse. We continue to look forward to new shows and
another 50 years from our clever writers and lyricists. Bravo!
Photo Credit: Cydne Moore
Dorothy’s
Adventures in Oz plays through September 30, 2012.
For
reservations, please call 1-310-394-9779 x 2
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