LIONS, TIGERS AND OPERETTAS, OH MY!
LIONS, TIGERS AND OPERETTAS, OH MY!
When the Canton Comic Opera Company brings L. Frank Baum’s vision of The Wizard of Oz to the Canton Palace Theater stage on July 10, you’ll find that you’re not in Kansas anymore. This funny, lighthearted show has lots of surprises that you won’t be expecting – this is Wizard as Baum imagined it, 37 years before MGM got its hands on it.
While almost entirely forgotten today, the 1903 Wizard of Oz was one of the most successful musical comedies of the turn of the century, firmly cementing the timeless story and characters in the hearts and minds of the American public. The Canton Comic Opera Company’s production of The Wizard of Oz will mark the first production of the original version with orchestra in over 80 years.
You’ll be enchanted by the classic story of Dorothy Gale who finds herself unceremoniously transported to the Land of Oz. While in Oz, Dorothy and her pet cow, Imogene, encounter the Scarecrow, Tin-Woodsman and Cowardly Lion, who accompany her on her journey to meet the Wizard. The 1903 extravaganza, written with adults as well as children in mind, offers Baum’s original perspective on the story that is unlike any other interpretation of the work.
The Canton Comic Opera Company, a non-profit theater company based in Canton, is the only company in the world dedicated solely to the preservation and performance of American operettas. Founded and incorporated in 2003 by executive director Joseph N. Rubin, the Company is an all volunteer-based organization providing talented singers and musicians in the Northeastern Ohio community with the opportunity to perform in operetta productions.
“The operetta is part of our American history that is all but forgotten today. These operettas began the modern day musical theater,” said Rubin. “It’s an exciting art form and people are relishing rediscovering them.”
Rubin is currently a graduate student at NYU, returning to his hometown each summer to oversee the production of these works. But the real work begins much earlier, as each piece must first be painstakingly restored.
“We go through and find the orchestrations and prop books to restore the works so they can be performed again. We have to find all the pieces and put them together,” said Rubin. “With The Wizard of Oz, we had to seek out the original orchestrations, original script and score and all of it had to be computerized.”
To date, the company has produced eight operatic productions, including The Sultan of Sulu, Rio Rita and The Prince of Pilsen.
“At the turn of the century, all of these shows would have been performed right here at the Canton Opera House – now the Canton McKinley Grand Hotel,” added Rubin. “The American works were so popular in their day, in fact, The Wizard of Oz toured the country from 1903 through 1909, playing here in Canton five times!”
The Canton Comic Opera Company is often one’s first foray into the operetta, and their avid fan base returns each summer to see what esoteric production will be next. Tickets and show information are available online at www.CantonComicOperaCo.com. The company is always seeking performers and musicians for its productions.
Christmas in July at Arcadia Grill will be hosting a Fundraiser on Saturday, July 10 from 4-7 p.m. for the Canton Comic Opera Company. Stop by to meet the cast, crew and director. The Company’s 2010 summer season will continue with a concert production of the Victor Herbert’s 1909 operetta The Rose of Algeria on August 14 and 15 at the historic Masonic Temple Auditorium in downtown Canton.
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Hi, I saw this and have couple of things to say, the show looks like they really are trying to recreat the set and costumes of that show, great job, my only thing is that the show that was performed was not the script and idea that Baum and his music and lyricist had first created. The first script was the book on stage and it was the producers adn people ahndling the money that told Baum he had to change his script, the end product was great, but not what the Author had wanted to put to the stage.