Take a journey from Massapequa to Kansas to the Land of Oz as fourth and fifth graders from Lockhart Elementary School present “The Wizard of Oz.” The annual Spotlight musical production features 66 student-actors in a trio of shows on Feb. 11 and 12.
Lead actors include Charlotte Wu as Dorothy, Emily Considine as the Scarecrow, Samil Saygili as the Tin Man, Vivian D’Alto as the Cowardly Lion and Emily Utkin as Toto. Jack D’Alto and Matthew Roth will alternate as the Wizard and Professor Marvel and Alex Brostoff and Lilianna Buckley will each take a turn as Almira Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West. Sofia Katimisky portrays Glinda, the Good Witch.
The show will feature several well-known songs such as “Follow the Yellow Brick Road,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” Director Kathleen Dyckman said the children are very excited about the show because many of them are familiar with “Wicked,” a “Wizard of Oz” prequel.
“It’s nice to do a classic,” Ms. Dyckman said. “The cast is working very hard and our dancers are incredible.”
Rehearsals have been taking place twice a week since October. Ms. Dyckman is supported by assistants Jacqueline Spinelli and Allison Virgilio, as well as student dance captains Valentina Blandino and Vivian Mirro. Theater students from Berner Middle School and Massapequa High School are also helping out and several fourth and fifth graders not in the cast are working the stage crew.
There will be a school-day performance for Lockhart students on Feb. 11, followed by 4:30 and 7 p.m. shows for families on Feb. 12. Tickets are $10.