Entertainment

November 20, 2009

Making up the Munchkins

By Mary Therese Biebel mbiebel@timesleader.com
Features Writer
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If you could click your heels together in real life and get anything you wanted, what would your wish be?

“To give all the SPCA animals a home,” said 9-year-old Madison Woods of Kingston.

“To give homeless children a home,” said Caitlyn Berrini, 9, of Larksville.

“To save the polar bears,” Nicole Birosak, 11, of Luzerne said.

“To save all the endangered animals,” said Michala Dennis, 7, of Courtdale.”

“I’d wish for world peace,” said Angela Fanelli, 10, of Wyoming.

Thinking along the lines of what happened to Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” 12-year-old Alli Schappert of Swoyersville explained, “I’d like to go around the world and travel.”

In the classic story, Dorothy clicks the heels of her ruby slippers and ends up home in Kansas – but first she has a grand adventure along the yellow brick road and in the Emerald City.

When a national touring company presents “The Wizard of Oz” at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre this weekend, all those children with the big dreams will be among a group of 12 local students singing and dancing on stage with the professionals.

As Munchkins in an early scene, they’ll escort Dorothy to the beginning of the Yellow Brick Road. In a later scene, as “Winkies” who had been enslaved by the Wicked Witch of the West, they’ll rejoice at her demise, singing “Ding-Dong, the Witch is Dead.”

“They’re all happy songs,” 9-year-old Christine Revitt of Wilkes-Barre explained during a rehearsal break last week at the Joan Harris Conservatory in Luzerne, where instructor Maria Dutt was helping the youngsters work on dance steps and stage presence.

“Remember, you’re sneaking out from behind those trees,” Dutt told them at one point. “So kind of peek instead of standing right up.”

Obediently, the kids sneaked and peeked and tiptoed a few steps before they scampered to their places for the next number.

As a group, the children have seen “The Wizard of Oz” film many times, and they all have favorite characters.

“Glinda! She’s pretty and nice,” said Keara Gallagher, 9, of Luzerne.

“Toto! (Dorothy is) famous because of her dog,” said Chase Santayana, 7, of Luzerne.

“The lion! He’s so afraid!” another young voice called “The tin man. He’s good!”

“The witch! said Justine Burmeister, 12, of Luzerne.

Oh, why the witch?

“She’s green!”

If you go

What: ‘The Wizard of Oz’

Who: 12 local children and a national touring company

When: 7:30 tonight; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: F.M. Kirby Center, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre

Tickets: $53.50, $42.50, $25

More info: 826-1100

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