December 3, 2004

ESD NEWS BRIEFS

Silver Oak Elementary delights audiences with ‘Wizard of Oz’ adaptation

By Susan J. Farese
Special to the Times

Enthusiastic audiences “followed the road, the yellow brick road” to Silver Oak Elementary School to see Kathy Olson’s original musical production, an adaptation of Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” on Nov. 18 – 20.

Kindergarten through third grade students from Silver Oak Elementary School recently performed a modern-day adaptation of Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz.” Photos by Teresa Hester

Barbara Kritzer of the Children’s Play House of San Jose, along with Silver Oak production manager Maureen Sherwood and several parent volunteers, produced the one-hour musical. The full support of Principal Nancy Milo and the Silver Oak PTA, coupled with the student/parent participation and audience response, validated this landmark K-3 drama program.

Tremendous response from more than 140 eager participants required two separate casts, each performing the play twice.

The Kansas and Oz casts took turns portraying the characters. These included Dorothy, Aunt Em, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion, West Witch, Wizard, Natalie the Good Witch and her Royal Attendants, the “yellow brick road” and the chorus (singing flowers, trees and munchkins and dancing monkeys (the “elegant 11”), “la machine” of the Wizard and munchkin “gift givers.”

The Children’s Play House of San Jose, a non-profit organization founded in 1976, uses musical theatre as a valuable tool for building positive self images for children. Its philosophy includes providing a noncompetitive musical theatre environment, regardless of ability or physical restrictions.

Executive Director Kathy Olson holds a master’s degree in Special Education from San Jose State University and is retired from 20-plus years of teaching dramatic arts at Castillero Middle School in the San Jose Unified School District.

Children’s Play House is wrapping up its current production of “Alice in Wonderland” on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Grove High School Auditorium, 285 Blossom Hill Rd., San Jose. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information about Children’s Play House, call (408) 578-PLAY.