Auditions for the Potomac State College’s upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz are slated for September 15-17 at 7 p.m. at the Church-McKee Arts Center.
The classic American tale of Dorothy being swept off by a tornado to the land of Oz where she meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City has a few “different twists,” said producer Dr. John Hawkins.
“We wanted this show to be traditional but also different, something distinctive,” said Hawkins. “We decided to produce the stage version, not the movie version.”
The stage version, which portrays the original story written by L. Frank Baum, will include a few different dances not shown in the 1939 Hollywood production.
Three specialty dances are going to be performed by three local dance studios from Keyser and Frostburg.
First, the “Jitterbug Song” will be performed by East Pointe Ballet studio of Keyser while in the second scene the dancers at Daisy’s Dance 
Studio of Keyser will grace the stage performing “The Funeral March of Marionette.” Frostburg’s Dance Academy will groove to “The Ghost Dance.”
All songs, choreographed by stage veteran Kimberli Rowley, will highlight each of the local dance studios’ strengths and talents, said Hawkins.
“I’ve assigned each one of them a different dance based on what strengths the studio has,” said Hawkins, stating that each studio is very unique.
Saying that everything in

(See WIZARD, page 2)
the movie version is going to be present in the stage version, Hawkins said an interesting phenomenon will occur with the score: Live music with a mix of quadraphonic sound and sequencing performed by a trio of musicians — Hawkins included.
“I will be playing lead keyboard, the second keyboard will be Steve Raschella, and Bart Lay will play drums,” said Hawkins, about the musicians who accompanied him in past productions of Chicago and CATS.
By using the special effects produced by today’s computerized technology, the audience will enter into a whole new realm of entertainment that live musicians alone cannot produce.
Another highlight is the role the munchkins will play in the production, said Hawkins.
According to the script for the stage version, the munchkins appear not only in the beginning of the script but also at the end and will double as farm hands of Dorothy’s family in the first scene.
Not only kids are being sought to fill these roles, but also adults. Petite adults.
“There will be plenty of stage time for both adult and children munchkins,” said Hawkins.
Filled with puns, Hawkins believes this version is funnier than the movie.
“In the movie, Dorothy dreams she goes to Oz,” he said. “In this version, she really does go.”
A few more differences include the absence of flying monkeys and talking trees. Everything else remains the same as the Hollywood production.
“There are also four witches instead of two,” Hawkins added.
This show will feature a large case, similar in size to 1997’s and 2002’s Jesus Christ Superstar and will offer a family project opportunity for whole families to get involved
“This is a family commitment, just like soccer or basketball, but it will be a lot of fun,” said Hawkins, about the life of an actor. “In Superstar we had a lot of families in the show. They came to rehearse together.  Joseph (and the Technicolor Dreamcoat) was a lot like that too.”
Hawkins believes this show, which is familiar to most everybody in today’s society, will leave a lasting impression to all who see it.
“I’d like to retell a classic tale with a few interesting twists,” said Hawkins.
The Wizard of Oz  is scheduled to hit the stage in March 2009.
For more information, call Hawkins at (304) 788-6965 or director Tom Valentine at (301) 729-3281.