There’s no place like the Clark State Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 for this show, which is presented by the Springfield Arts Council. Tickets are still available.
Like so many, the show’s producer Alex Wilfand loved “The Wizard of Oz” growing up. He knew “Wicked” would bring a whole new audience to the franchise and launching this show around the same time brought immediate interest in the concept.
“It’s a Broadway show meets ice skating,” said Wilfand. “For me, writing and designing it was amazing. There’s so much going into it that it’s been a pleasure bringing it to life.”
Audiences should be ready for this new take on the legend, which is close to author L. Frank Baum’s original story but retains the flavor of the movie, along with plenty of Easter eggs.
Wilfand collaborated with a composer who has worked with Disney on the new music. There’s also new costumes and special effects to bring the Land of Oz up to date and a bit different.
An ice rink will go over the Kuss Auditorium stage, turning that blank stage into Oz. Going with that concept meant finding performers who could skate well, sing and act all at once, which Wilfand compares to rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time.
“It was definitely a challenge to get people who went from competitive skating to show skating. It takes a special breed,” he said.
Skating pros who have worked all over made the journey to Oz on Ice, including a juggling skater and a former Olympian, Shawn Sawyer, who plays the Wiz. He competed in the 2006 Winter Games and is a four-time Canadian national medalist and Grand Prix champion.
Other unique touches include a cirque feel, an effect that takes the witch 15 feet into the air, and other surprising elements for the audience to experience.
One of Wilfand’s favorites is Toto, an animatronic dog he said looks so real that the audience may not know isn’t a real dog.
One of his early expectations was the show would appeal mainly to a younger audience but was pleasantly surprised to find all types of people enthused.
“It truly is a show for all ages: people on a date night, older couples, people who watched it on television, kids. It’s just a great two-hour escape from reality by getting into this,” he said.
Tickets cost $32.50 to $57.50. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit springfieldartscouncil.org.
About the Author