Students make holidays bright with school play

NEW MADRID, Mo. - It was a blend of a classic tale and a favorite holiday to send the message: There is no place like home for the holidays.

New Madrid Elementary School students presented the play “A Christmas Wizard of Oz” for students from Matthews Elementary School and Lilbourn Elementary School on Monday, Dec. 16, then a final performance for family and friends on Dec. 17.

The production takes Dorothy and her dog, Toto, from a Kansas snow storm to Elfinland. To find her way home in time for Christmas, Dorothy, along with her friends, a Snowman, a Tin Soldier and a Stuffed Lion, set out for the Palace of Toys and later must face a Wicked Witch to prove themselves worthy of an audience with the Wizard.

New Madrid Elementary counselor Casey Rost directed the production assisted by Allison Courtois and music teacher Margery Waller. According to Rost the production was an opportunity to offer the students something different.

“Here, if our kids don’t play sports, they really don’t have anything else to do,” she explained. “We wanted to give them something else exciting that they could take a little ownership with.”

Months before the production began, Rost researched possible plays. She explained she wanted something that would allow a lot of students to participate. “A Christmas Wizard of Oz” filled that need.

“As we went through the characters I felt like we could add multiple reindeer or multiple elves, some things we added in on our own, like the icy sculptures,” Rost said.

Speaking roles were open to students in third through fifth grades. With seven scenes, Rost double cast several of the main characters, enabling more students to showcase their talents.

Rost admits being surprised when tryouts opened. Students enthusiastically took to the stage.

“There were a few kids that tried out for some of the main parts that I haven’t heard more than a peep from in three school years (I have been here),” she said. “They would get on stage and it was like they shucked this shy shell and they put on a show. They all did a great job.”

To put the spotlight on the younger students. Rost also altered songs in the production.

Kindergarten students welcomed Dorothy and Toto to Elfinland with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” First and second graders were featured singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

While Rost set out to make the production fun for the youngsters, she also had high expectations. Deadlines were set for learning lines. Jobs behind the scenes needed to be filled.

The students stepped up, she said.

“Some of the girls would set up all of the sound system for us. Others would have the backstage set up. They knew what to do every day and didn’t even ask questions, they just got their jobs done then got in their places,” Rost said.

In October, November and early December, students practiced two hours twice a week. As the performance deadline neared, the practices were daily.

Following dress rehearsal, a group of fifth graders talked about the production and their involvement. Taking the role of Msw. Jingle, Lamarria Owens described her experience with the play as fun. The others unanimously agreed.

Dorothy was the coveted role for most of the young girls. However Saylor Courtois said it wasn’t until her mother encouraged her that she tried out.

She said she liked sharing the role with five others.

“It made it very easy,” Saylor said. “I knew I couldn’t memorize all of the lines because I would forget a line for sure.”

Another of those selected as Dorothy was Adeline Eddy. Originally she had wanted to be Glinda, the good witch, and was surprised when she was picked to be Dorothy. She was glad to share the role, too.

“I personally had to memorize five pages and like all of ours combined was a lot of pages,” she said. “I think it was easier to have everybody because you don’t have to memorize that many lines and it is funner.”

The many rehearsals made learning the lines easier, they agreed. They also liked developing their characters.

Vivian Hunt, who was the wicked witch, said it was Rost’s idea to have her walk through the audience. But she came up with the idea to interact with them.

“That was fun,” Vivian said about watching the audience’s reaction.

Harper Mungle said she didn’t even know what a narrator was until she was announced for the role. However, Harper found a way to make it her own.

“We were getting the speakers out for a rehearsal and I found this megaphone. I said, ‘Oh my gosh Mrs. Casey this would be really fun if I liked screamed into it during the play.’ Then we came up with the idea to go on stage and say scene 1, scene 2,” she said.

For Lindy Lawfield, who filled the role of Glinda the Good Witch, being with friends was the best part.

“You get to meet people that you know but then you become quite good friends with them. It is a very good bonding experience,” Lindy said.

The actors had high praise for their director.

“She is just always kind and if you mess up, she just helps you out,” said Adeline. “She is just always happy and I love Mrs. Casey as my director.”