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Show New 'Oz' production at BYU Tickets for the production, which is sponsored by the BYU Department of Theatre and Cinematic Arts, are available at the Drama Ticket Office, 378-38 Mention the name of author Frank Baum, jnd some individuals - will quickly recognize him as the author of the perennially popular "Wizard of OZ." Few people, however, realize that Baum penned pen-ned more than a dozen Oz-related tales, one of which is the basis for Brigham Young University's Uni-versity's next Pardoe Stage production. "Patches of Oz," a Dew family musical by Charles Whitman based on Baum's "The Patchwork Girl of OZ," will open Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m., and will also run Nov. 26-27 and 30 and Dec. l-4and 7-11 at 8 p.m., with a 4:30 matinee Dec. 6 and a 1:30 matinee Dec. 11. The musical has been several years in the making. Two years ago, director Harold Oaks approached Whitman, who has written a number of BYU-produced BYU-produced dramas, about writing a family show specifically tailored tailor-ed for a projected childen's theatre tour of Europe. "It needed to be a show with a great deal of color and visual excitement, and one where language did not have to carry the show - a simple story with strong characterizations," characteriza-tions," says Oaks, who is active in several international children's theatre organizations. "The book was essentially essen-tially non-dramatic," nsays ; Whitman, who spent a year condensing condens-ing and revising the story. "If you've read the book, you'll recognize recog-nize the characters and some of the incidents from the book, " but we've dropped, added, or combined some characters and added some different inci- r : dents." Typical of Baum's style, the story features a "journey" motif. "Ojo, who is dissatisfied dissatis-fied with life and wants to create some excite ment for himself, unknowingly collaborates collabor-ates with a crooked magician, who causes Ojo's Uncle Nunkie to become solidified. He extracts as an ingredient ingred-ient Nunkie 's power to move," explained Whitman. The show then chronicles Ojo's quest to undo the damage. "There are certain religious parallels in Ojo's experiences," says Whitman. "Subtextually, it's his journey of self-discovery." self-discovery." The BYU production has already enjoyed a "dry run" with a staging last summer during Education Week in the Nelke Experimental Theatre. In addition, two judges from Washington, Washing-ton, D.C.'s Kennedy Center will visit campus to observe the production for possible inclusion in the Center's annual "Imagination "Imag-ination Celebration" childen's theatre festival. Portraying Ojo in "Patches of Oz" is Ron W. Pickett, with Chris Wynn as the Crooked Magician, John Whitaker as Unc Nunkie, Tracey Williams as Patches, and Isaac Thomas as the Scarecrow. Other major roles in the production are filled by Yvette Ward, Lisa Latimer, Bart Pace, Loretta Long, Joanna McConnell, Shirene Bell, Michelle Murdock Grant Mathis, Eddy Schumacher, Wendy Walker, Leslie Anderson and Ramona Gibbons. |