by Bonnie Collings
Warragul Youth Theatre reminded audiences that "there's no place like home" during six incredible performances of "The Wizard of Oz" at the West Gippsland Arts Centre.

Whisking audiences away to the "Merry Old Land of Oz", cast members truly captured the magic of the beloved story and created their own special adaptation of the classic tale told so many times in its almost 125 year history.
From the moment you walked into the theatre, you were immersed in the show, with the arts centre walls being lit up in green and the WGAC staff sporting emerald green ties for the occasion.
The show opened on a sepia-toned Kansas farmyard scene, much like the beginning of the classic 1939 film. But when the tornado hit and Dorothy crashed down in Munchkin Land, the creamy brown haze was lifted, giving way to a colourful backdrop reminiscent of the iconic technicolour reveal.
A quick and seamless costume change added to the magic, with Dorothy's brown dress turning into the classic blue gingham as the lights came up on Munchkin Land.
With creative lighting design and a bit of stage magic, the cast and crew of "The Wizard of Oz" created the tornado. The storm scene was set by flashing lights at the back of the stage, representing lightning, and the grey funnel cloud was created by cast and stage crew running across the stage with lengths of fabric.
Thrown into the mix were familiar faces from the tornado scene in the film, including boat rowers and a cow caught up in the wind.
Another magical reveal after the tornado was Toto's transformation. At the beginning of the show, Toto was represented by small puppet controlled by Sophie Tully. When Dorothy landed in Oz, Toto transformed into a lively, backflipping dog played by Bella Tully, Sophie's older sister.
The leading cast in "The Wizard of Oz" showcased some of West Gippsland's finest young talents.
Georgia Stayner's powerful vocals warmed the audience's heart during her rendition of "Over the Rainbow" and her energy on stage during the show was remarkable.
Paige Fallon remained committed to her Scarecrow character throughout the show, walking with a floppy limp to convince the audience she was made from straw.
Ruben Nelson made a fantastic Tinman, capturing the classic mumbles when he's rusted by the rain.
Ethan Smith kept the audience laughing with his hilarious portrayal of the Cowardly Lion. He kept all the best bits from the Lion in the film and added his own special touch.
Jessica Bruce's portrayal of Glinda was an exciting blend of the classic Billie Burke adaptation, including her iconic voice, and the sassiness of Ariana Grande's Glinda in "Wicked".
Regi Brown was a convincingly scary Wicked Witch of the West, capturing the classic evil laugh. The dramatic melting scene had audiences laughing and cheering at the same time.
The ensemble cast in "The Wizard of Oz" truly brought the show to life..
There were many quick costume changes as the cast portrayed munchkins, Ozians, sassy apple trees, crows, jitterbugs, flying monkeys and Winkie guards. The youngest ensemble members did an incredible job bringing their munchkin characters to life, perfectly capturing the squeaky voices and the excitement of meeting Dorothy.
A standout moment of the show was the high energy "Jitterbug" dance scene where the Wicked Witch sends a swarm of jitterbugs to Dorothy and her friends, making them dance and dance until the ruby slippers fall off Dorothy's feet.
The "Jitterbug" scene was meant to be featured in the 1939 film, but was cut for time. It was exciting to see the once lost scene brought to live on stage, and it was clear that the cast were having a fantastic time dancing their hearts out to the fast-paced choreography.
Throughout the show, the cast made great use of the space available to them and were not restricted to the stage alone. At different points, Dorothy and her friends travelled through the middle aisle, making the audience feel like a part of the show. During her pursuit of Dorothy, the angry Wicked Witch popped out from different parts of the theatre, including the stage doors, leaving the audience wondering where she'd appear next.
Simple yet effective set design enabled the stage to be quickly transformed into the many colourful locations of Oz. With the addition of some rolling set pieces or a flying backdrop, the audience knew they were travelling along the yellow brick road and into the Emerald City.
The Munchkin Land backdrop was very impressive. A large mural depicting small colourful houses and the yellow brick road, the backdrop quickly established location and was easily recognisable for the audience.
My favourite part was the inclusion of the red brick swirl around the yellow brick road, a feature unique to the 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.
The production team utilised projections for the giant wizard head and the Wicked Witch's demand to "surrender Dorothy", furthering the worldbuilding of the show.
Incredible costumes and technical makeup helped bring the story to life on stage. With the central cast appearing on stage in the opening scene as their Kansas selves, some impressive makeup happened backstage to turn the Wicked Witch green and bring the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion to life.
Overall, WYT's production of "The Wizard of Oz" was a strong reminder of the power of friendship and the importance of home and the people you love.