(Editor’s note: This is the first in a week-long series featuring the lead performers and cast of Tyrone Area School District’s ‘The Wiz.’ The show is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 2-3 at the Tyrone High School auditorium.)
First to be introduced in the spotlight on the lead characters of The Wiz is Tyrone Area High School senior Stephanie Catich.
Aside from her role as “Dorothy” in TASD’s production of The Wiz , Stephanie is also active in varsity softball, varsity volleyball, Tri M Music Honor Society and National Honor Society.
She has been seen on the TASD stage as a townsperson in The Music Man and a wife in last year’s incredible production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Stephanie is also active in the church’s youth choir.
Her future plans include attending the Pennsylvania State University, beginning this summer. She will be majoring in elementary education, and she plans to teach kindergarten and make the world a more beautiful place.
Stephanie and over 50 other Tyrone Middle and High School students have spent months of hard work and practice to make this year’s musical, The Wiz, a success.
The next week will be the busiest of all as students and volunteers for the musical continue to spend countless hours on set production and on choreography, music and dialogue practice.
Dress rehearsals are scheduled to begin tomorrow, and the curtain call for the actual shows will be Friday and Saturday, April 2-3, starting at 8 p.m., in the high school auditorium.
Musical director, Catherine Young; technical director, Ed Kuhstos and drama director, Mark Perehenic are leading a spectacular cast.
The show will also feature choreographed dance numbers by Tara Penick of the Richmond, Virginia Youth Ballet.
TAHS alumni Valerie Narehood, who is currently earning a Master’s Degree at the PSU School of Theatre, has designed a spectacular set.
TASD art teachers Eric Feather and Colleen Ferrari and their students are currently in the process of adding their own artistic touches to the “Land of Oz.”
The Wiz is the Tony Award winning best musical version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum.
The show contains over 20 musical numbers ranging from gospel to funk to disco. Featured hits include “Ease on Down the Road,” If You Believe” and “Home.”
Although based on Baum\\\’s Wizard of Oz in which a little girl named Dorothy is abducted from her home by a Tornado and transported to the Land of Oz, The Wiz takes the classic fairy tale in an all-new direction with an exciting rock score, and a decidedly modern libretto that reframes the story in such a way that it seems somehow more relevant.
The Wiz opened at the Majestic Theatre on January 5, 1975 with a cast that featured Stephanie Mills as Dorothy, Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow, Tiger Haynes as the Tin Man, Ted Ross as the Lion and Mabel King as the Witch.
The production enjoyed a run of 1,672 performances and went on to win seven Tony Awards including \\\”Best Musical\\\” and \\\”Best Score.\\\” The 1978 film version featured Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor.
Stephanie will portray Dorothy; Cory Jones will play the Scarecrow; Cody Jones will play the Lion; Shane Gherrity will play the Tin Man and playing The Wiz is Robbi Dick.
Reserved tickets are $8, and general admission tickets are $5. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Tyrone Area High School main office.
Orders can also be placed by phoning 684-4240, extension 3700 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. each weekday.
