St Mary’s School heads to the Emerald City

St Mary’s School was transformed into Oz when a cast of 35 girls from Years 7 to 11 put on a spectacular production of The Wizard of Oz, between 13 and 15 November.
The show started in a dull and drab Kansas, where Dorothy (Maisie Humphries) and Toto (Hettie) were running away from the wicked Miss Gultch, played to perfection by Charlotte Cuthbert, who later transformed into a truly terrifying Wicked Witch of the West. Maisie sang a beautiful, heart-rending Somewhere over the Rainbow as she yearned for a better, more colourful world.
She was not to be disappointed, as the twister carried her to Oz, where she was greeted by the Munchkins (played delightfully by Year 7 girls) and the beautiful Witch Glinda (Abbie Hughes, who also played a harassed Aunt Em). From Munchkinland, Dorothy travelled to the Emerald City, picking up the Scarecrow (Olivia Dudley-Smith), the Tin Man (Clare Gibbs) and the Cowardly Lion (Caitlin McLoughlin) on the way.
This quartet evaded the Wicked Witch and finally made it to the Emerald City. There, a chorus of Ozians performed with life and gusto as they welcomed them to The Merry Old Land of Oz. They also met the Guard (Libby Gaskell, also Uncle Henry) and the Wizard himself, an entertaining Tolu Ayo-Ajala, who had also been another humbug, Professor Marvel.
After many adventures, including melting the Witch and taming the Winkies (again the Chorus), Dorothy finally found her way back to Kansas, realising that there really is no place like home!
Head of drama at St. Mary’s, Rachel Harries said: “This was a lively and professional production, with a cast who thoroughly enjoy working together. Congratulations to all involved; both on stage and behind it.”