A radiant Dorothy leads an enchanting
journey down the Yellow Brick Road

Ava Tethal as Dorothy and Booba as Toto in Palm Canyon Theatre‘s production of The Wizard of Oz

The 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz is part of our cultural DNA, so whenever it’s brought to the stage, the inevitable question is: How will they pull it off? Miss Gulch on her bicycle, the tornado, Munchkinland, the witches, the Emerald City, Toto—and, of course, Dorothy—all have to measure up to memories of Judy Garland and one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics.

Ava Tethal and Paul Grant

Palm Canyon Theatre‘s production answers that challenge with imagination, heart, and an abundance of talent. Starting with Dorothy, the show is in very capable hands. Ava Tethal, daughter of Artistic Director Se Layne, proves beyond any question that her casting has nothing to do with nepotism. She is a genuine star, possessing a beautiful singing voice, natural warmth, and a radiant stage presence that continually draws the eye. Whether she’s surrounded by the full company or standing alone, her emotional honesty anchors the production. And when she sings “Over the Rainbow”—the acid test for any Dorothy—she more than delivers. Tethal previously impressed Palm Canyon audiences as the chilling Rhoda in The Bad Seed before taking time away to focus on school. Her return is a welcome one.

Ava Tethal and Cliff Goodrich

Director David Brooks marshals a cast of 34, supported by PCT regulars and a delightful contingent of young performers who repeatedly earned spontaneous applause and laughter from the opening-night audience. The Kansas sequences establish the familiar relationships with Aunt Em (Stevie Gold), Uncle Henry (Cliff Goodrich), and the three knockabout farm hands who are more interested in pulling pranks than serious farm work—Noah Wahlberg, Christian Quevedo, and Tim Rathke—before Dorothy’s adventure begins. The production wisely relies on theatrical ingenuity rather than elaborate spectacle, using projections and clever stagecraft to bring the famous tornado to life before whisking Dorothy into the colorful world of Oz.

Ava Tethal, Tara Howard, and Christine Michele

Dorothy and Toto meet a traveling huckster called Professor Marvel who gazes at her future by looking in a crystal ball. He tries to get her to return home. Paul Grant brings warmth and authority to Professor Marvel and later returns as the Wizard, although admirers of his magnificent baritone may wish he had more opportunity to sing.

Ava Tethal

Ugly with pointy nose and chin, Christine Michele imbues Miss Gulch with extra levels of hatefulness. She claims to have been bitten by Dorothy’s dog Toto, and she has an order signed by  the sheriff take the dog. Booba, a remarkably well-behaved Chihuahua-terrier mix playing Toto, nearly steals the show. Calm amid singing, dancing, special effects, and a packed house of 200, the little dog sits in the basket or Dorothy’s arms, curls around Dorothy’s feet when she sits, and seems to make several entrances and exits on her own – a performance that could easily transfer to Broadway.

Christian Quevedo, Ava Tethal, Tim Rathke, and Noah Wahlberg

The large tarp in Kansas has been to reveal the beginning of The Yellow Brick Road in Munchkin Land. A highlight of the evening is Tara Howard‘s graceful entrance as Glinda, descending from above on a decorated trapeze. The young Munchkins (six to twelve years old, mostly girls) quickly charm the audience, especially during “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” with specialty moments from the Lullaby League and Lollipop Guild that stopped the show. The latter was delivered by a trio of young boys singing out of the sides of their mouths and kicking the dirt on major beats, just like the movie. It’s difficult not to smile watching these youngsters enthusiastically embrace their moment in Oz.

Ava Tethal and Noah Wahlberg

Glenda gives Dorothy a pair of ruby slippers from the witch who was slain by the falling house, and the teenager takes the Yellow Brick Road which will lead to The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy’s three famous companions are equally well cast. We’ve seen Wahlberg in Guys & Dolls, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, My Fair Lady and others where he has shown his amazing prowess as a singer. Here he displays an incredible range of acrobatic skills as Scarecrow with no skeleton to hold him steady. He falls to the ground finishing with somersaults, twirls into cartwheels, and lifts himself from the ground with hips first, his back curved and his head the last thing up. Through the rest of the show, he never stands completely still for more than a few seconds, constantly adjusting his limp body, sometimes with one foot facing forward and the other facing back. He is constantly focused on the stage action, reacting to everything with his rubbery face.

Paul Grant as The Wizard

Rathke finds every opportunity for humor and heart as the Tin Man, while Quevedo, a dramatic leading man in Sunset Boulevard only months ago, reveals impressive comic chops as the Cowardly Lion, especially during his crowd-pleasing rendition of “If I Were King of the Forest.”

The Cast

The quartet finds The Wizard, who will grant their personal wishes if they bring him the Wicked Witch of the West’s broomstick. Our indomitable quartet heads to the witch’s residence where they are assailed by a squadron of monkeys—the Munchkin kids again, this time almost too cute to believe in their furry costumes and big ears.

Ava Tethal and Tara Howard

The production’s technical elements deserve considerable praise. Brooks confidently balances the large cast with Layne’s choreography, which suits performers of every age, while Stephen Giboney‘s practical scenic design incorporates rolling units, Glinda’s flight, Professor Marvel’s disappearing balloon, and an effective melting sequence for the Wicked Witch. Costumes by Derik Shopinski are simply astounding, J. W. Layne‘s lighting keeps the action crisp and colorful, and Nick Campbell‘s sound design clearly supports both dialogue and music while adding numerous atmospheric effects. Musical Director Chuck Peery, joined by Larry Holloway on bass and Jim Watson on percussion, provides rich accompaniment that belies the modest size of the ensemble.

Christian Quevedo, Noah Wahlberg, Ava Tethal, and Tim Rathke

Palm Canyon Theatre closes its 29th season with a production that embraces the timeless appeal of The Wizard of Oz while reminding audiences that imagination and committed performances matter far more than Broadway-sized budgets. For two hours, the Yellow Brick Road once again leads exactly where audiences hope it will: somewhere over the rainbow.