 The English Bride Professional Equity Play Apr. 5-21, 2013 |
Nov. 23-Dec. 9, 2012
Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Center
Professional Equity Theatre Presentation
Audiences can begin the holiday season with a family classic brought to life in this musical extravaganza at the Sitnik Theatre in the David and Carol Lackland Center starting Thanksgiving weekend. Featuring a cast of 50 actors on the stage, The Wizard of Oz is a musical tradition following the story of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Lion and Toto, too.
These beloved characters visit Hackettstown on their way to the Emerald City, as CSC presents the ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S (RSC) adaptation by Frank Gabrielson and John Kane, with Music and Lyrics from the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. The RSC said this adaptation came about when the Artistic Director of the company asked for a show that could be performed annually over the Christmas season, so this show is especially made for families to celebrate the holiday season. Artistic Director Carl Wallnau stated, “You only have to say the title of the show to people, and a smile comes on their face.”
 Saquan Williams (Hoboken) as "Scarecrow," McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem, PA) as "Dorothy," and Nick Ardito-Martelli (Hackettstown) as "Tinman" |
 Jeremy Hilgert (Delaware Water Gap, PA) as "Lion" |
 Munchkin Land Song and Dance |
 Collen Smith-Wallnau (Hoboken) as "Wicked Witch of the West," Saquan Williams (Hoboken) as "Scarecrow," Nick Ardito-Martelli (Hackettstown) as "Tinman," and McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem, PA) as "Dorothy" |
| Other Holiday Activities! | |
 The dining hall at the Lackland Center will also host a special Yule Fest dinner ($12.50) before the show dates on Saturday, December 1st and 8th and a brunch ($10.00) on Sunday, December 2nd and 9th. There will be different vendors from the community also set up selling special holiday gifts so that audiences can get an opportunity to catch up on their holiday shopping. |
 The Friday, November 30th performance of The Wizard of Oz will coincide with Hackettstown’s Hometown Holiday Celebration, which will include the arrival of Santa in a horse-drawn sleigh, horse-drawn carriage rides between Centenary and the Holiday Gazebo, a parade featuring the Colonial Musketeers, performances by local choirs and a holiday bazaar. For more information on the celebration, visit the Hackettstown Business Improvement District Web site at: Hackettstown’s Hometown Holiday Celebration Details Print Copy (.pdf) (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader: free download) |
| The Wizard of Oz is Sponsored by:  Hackettstown Regional Medical Center |
 Restaurant Village at Long Valley Printable Dinner Coupon |
Adapted by: Frank Gabrielson and John Kane
Music and Lyrics of the MGM motion picture score by:
Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg
This production includes lively dance routines and familiar songs such as the Academy Award-winning song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as well as an added show-stopping dance number, “The Jitterbug,” which was edited out from the original movie. Directed and choreographed by Broadway, film, and television veteran Michael Blevins, The Wizard of Oz features a cast of 50 actors from the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area. This holiday musical is meant as a way to celebrate all the programs of the Centenary Stage, including talents from professional Equity actors as well as members of the acclaimed Young Performers Workshop, Centenary theatre students, and local performers.
| Reviews |
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"... a truly entertaining show to see for the holidays... [Centenary Stage Company's production]... you'll
find an enchanting show that will have you singing and smiling all the way home." "...the audience is in for a delightful evening of story and song and dance." "Director/Choreographer Michael Blevins... a very daunting task... did a fabulous job of casting and staging it." "Set design by Will Rothfuss...very effective..." "Costumes by Julia Sharp... very reminiscent of the film version, but with some interesting exceptions..." "The actors [comparing to the original film - deliver the memory of the iconic performers or do it differently] have done a little of both to great success." "Saquan Williams... Hunk/Scarecrow ...a very talented dancer and singer... really carries the role quite well... a joy to watch. "Ardito-Martelli... Hickory/Tin Woodsman... quite funny... sings well too... mostly he is a fine tap dancer who commands the stage very well for his dance. Bravo." "The very talented Colleen Smith-Wallnau... really good Almira Gultch/Wicked Witch of the West... really gets into the wickedness of this character and makes the role her own." "McKenzie Custin... really looks a lot like the young Garland... sounds like her, moves like her, smiles like her... sings like her... was wonderful as was each song she sang... really evoked the spirit of Garland, which is no small task." "Jeremy William Hilgert... Zeke/Cowardly Lion... a lovable Cowardly Lion... sounds and moves like a mirror image of the Bert Lahr character we all know and love... performance is nearly flawless and his timing excellent. "These two [Custin and Hilgert] really make the show in a production that has a lot of real talent in it." "Lea Antolini-Lid as Aunt Em... does a lot of the dancing in the ensemble numbers and is very good throughout all of those numbers." "Jessica Rzucidlo as Glinda the Good Witch... enter and exit in the coolest way on a circular swing that very cleverly evokes the bubble we remember her riding in the film... voice is sweet and she is delightful to watch." "... funniest scene stealer is Nestor... stern guard at the gate to Oz... does a wonderful job of blustering and sputtering and then melting as he falls for the sad tale... charming and quite comical... really stands out in what is really quite a minor part. "... the production boasts a delightful ensemble cast..." "... some very charming talent in the Centenary Young Performers..." "Some of the more interesting staging elements in this production are done with dance elements. First the tornado... Then later when Glinda sends snow down to counter the sleep effect of the poppies... elements add so much to the show and are well executed and very entertaining... Another fun dance... our heroes encounter the diabolical Jitterbugs sent by the witch... a terrific dancing scene that is perfectly staged and executed as well." "There is so much to love about this story and there is also much to love about this particular production of this timeless favorite. Don't miss it because there's really no place like Oz and no better production of it." Janine M. Torsiello, Morris Beats [Full Review] "...Centenary Stage Company’s production is well equipped when it comes to certain essentials." "The Tin Man may not have a heart, but with an enthusiastic troupe of performers tackling classic songs such as "Over the Rainbow" and "We’re Off to See the Wizard," the show sure does." "...it’s not hard to detect the thoughtfulness and creativity of Michael Blevins’ direction and choreography." "...with a cast of 50, elaborate visual dreamscapes and a few characters in flight..." "Young audiences, in particular, will delight in seeing a live version of the iconic film." "McKenzie Custin... is a wholesome Dorothy... voice has a lovely gentle quality and she adeptly mixes belt and legit singing..." "Saquan Williams’... Scarecrow... flexible, energetic dancing..." "Jeremy William Hilgert... the Lion... boasts an attractive, authoritative tenor" "Colleen Smith-Wallnau gleefully commands the stage as the Wicked Witch of the West..." "Jessica Rzucidlo sings with brightness and notable stamina as her counterpart Glinda." "Stephen Davis earns laughs in a slick performance as the Wizard." "Julia Sharp creates costumes for each of these... with vivid imagination." "Of the Munchkins, those singled out to represent the Lullaby League and the Lollipop Guild — that latter is a group of boys flexing their muscles in black T-shirts and gold chains — deserve their extra spotlight." "Designer Will Rothfuss’ sets bring to life an elaborate, colorful Munchkinland..." "The theatrical flying service Flying by the Foy, in its first collaboration with CSC, ensures safe journeys through the air." Ronni Reich, The Star-Ledger [Full Review] Review title "Review: Centenary Stage Company's wonderful 'Wizard of Oz'" "...delightful holiday season offering. "...a joyous, highly entertaining all-family event that will charm the adults and "wow" the junior members." "...is beautifully directed and choreographed by... Michael Blevins... a surprisingly faithful recreation of the classic MGM film... has this large cast dancing at almost every turn... a spirited, enthusiastic collection of dance numbers..." "The dance highlight is a number that was cut from the original movie 'The Jitterbug'... was crowned the number one movie musical song of the 20th Century, the Academy Award-winning 'Over The Rainbow.'... a particularly fine presentation by the very impressive young lady who is Dorothy Gale-McKenzie Custin... not only has a beautiful voice, but is a fine, charming actress who does the magic red shoes proud." "[Dorothy] is ably assisted by the big scene stealer....Toto... appears to be a (white) Bichon Frise." "Blevins... has nicely cast the leading roles... "...a perfect Aunt Em is ... Lea Antolini-Lid" "Carl Wallnau is naturally fine as the Kansas farmer Uncle Henry." "The three farmhands are all standout performers...Nick Ardito-Martelli demonstrates his tap-dancing talent as Hickory and the Tin Woodsman, Saquan Williams excels as Hunk and the "boneless" Scarecrow and the equity pro Jeremy William Hilgert is beyond perfect, if possible, as Zeke and the Cowardly Lion." "Miss Almira Gultch and the Wicked Witch of the West are played with proper nastiness by Broadway veteran Colleen Smith Wallnau." "Steven Davis is spot-on as Professor Marvel and the Wizard." "It is the obvious pleasure each of these actors is having that adds greatly to the over all enjoyment of this fine version of The Wizard of Oz." "Music is ably provided by a ten member orchestra led by music director Kevin Lynch." "One of the highlights of this production is the flying of the the Witches, the Wizard and the monkeys, a first for the Centenary Stage Company... the work of the highly repected theatrical flying service Flying by Foy." "Again, if you are ready for a perfect fun event for the holiday season a visit to the comfortable Sitnik Theatre...will not disappoint... It was a delight to visit Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Lion and Toto, too, in Hackettstown." Rick Busciglio, New Jersey Footlights [Full Review] "Centenary Stage Co. ...haven’t held anything back in their current holiday extravaganza, The Wizard of Oz..." "...the third year running a holiday event perfectly conceived for the whole family." "With a cast of about 50, a live orchestra, superb scenery, lighting and special effects and flying witches (as well as a few other airborne characters), it is doubtless the flashiest entertainment seen in Hackettstown since the Lackland Center for the Arts opened here three years ago." "this is a professional production. Several in the cast are Actors Equity members..." "...the young actors, singers and dancers from the college’s Young Performers Workshop...the Munchkins...acquit themselves beautifully. Ditto with the performers from the college’s theater and dance departments" "Saquan Williams, a Centenary junior, whose comic sense and apparently rubber limbs enable him to steal almost every scene he is in as he portrays the Scarecrow." "Actually all the performances are right on target. McKenzie Custin... is a delight as Dorothy... is possessed of an absolutely gorgeous singing voice and, hard as it is to believe, her rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” will not make you crave the iconic Garland." "Nick Ardito-Martelli turns in some smooth tap-dancing... the Tinman" "Jeremy William Hilgert is a lovable Cowardly Lion." "Probably my favorite portrayal... is the marvelous Colleen Smith Wallnau... a perfectly lovely woman who nevertheless seems born to play the Wicked Witch of the West... flies through the air on her broomstick, cackling with malevolent glee to everyone’s delight." "Toto... CSC has the amazing good fortune to have cast a four-month-old puppy named Magic... in the role...He behaved perfectly on opening night despite the mayhem around him." "The show is directed and gorgeously choreographed by Michael Blevins... large-scale dance numbers have a slightly psychedelic feeling about them" "... [dancers] beautiful costumes designed by Julia Sharp have a surreal quality)." "So great songs, good acting, beautiful dancing, superb scenery, special effects and aerial spectacle make this show a real holiday treat." "And you don’t get to see a real theatrical spectacle every day. Highly recommended!" Sheila Abrams, nj arts maven [Full Review] |
| The Wizard of Oz - Short Video |
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YPW Alum and Montclair State University Theatre student McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem, PA) is Dorothy. Scarecrow will be portrayed by Saquan Williams (Hoboken), Tinman will be played by local tap-dancing talent Nick Ardito-Martelli (Hackettstown) and the Cowardly Lion will be portrayed by Equity actor Jeremy Hilgert (Delaware Water Gap, PA). Other CSC performers include Equity Actor Lea Antolini-Lid (Sparta) as Auntie Em, Artistic Director and Equity actor Carl Wallanau (Hoboken) as Uncle Henry and Drew University Theatre Alum Jessica Rzucidlo (Parsippany) as Glinda. Rounding off the cast is Broadway (Crazy For You) and Regional Theatre veteran Colleen Wallnau (Hoboken) as the Wicked Witch. And Toto will be played by Magic, dog of cast member Anthony Zas (Hackettstown). Magic and Anthony’s mom, Jacqueline Boelens, was excited to lend this young pup’s talents to the show and stated, “I wish I was that famous at four months old.”
Flying by Foy, one of the most prolific and widely-respected theatrical flying services in the world, headquartered in Las Vegas, has come to execute the flying of the Witches, the Wizard, the monkeys, and more, creating a spectacle not to be missed and a first for Centenary Stage Company. When asked how she felt about being flown high above the stage as the Wicked Witch of the West, Ms. Wallnau said, “I am no stranger to aerial endeavors as, before becoming an actress, I was the first female installer, climbing telephone poles, for Bell Telephone in inner-city Trenton.”
The Wizard of Oz is sponsored in part by Restaurant Village in Long Valley and Hackettstown Regional Medical Center.
The Centenary Stage Company is a not-for-profit professional equity theatre, in residence at Centenary College, dedicated
to serving as a cultural resource for audiences of the Skylands Region with professional music, theatre and dance events
and arts education programs throughout the year.
| The Wizard of Oz is appropriate for age 5 and older (Children under the age of 5 will not be admitted) |
| Children under the age of 5 are not permitted into the professional CSC main
stage productions. However, they are permitted to CSC’s Young
Audience and Family Fun Series productions
for age-appropriate performances. Patrons are encouraged to check the age recommendation for individual shows. |
 Photo clockwise from left: Jeremy Hilgert (Delaware Water Gap, PA) as “Lion,” Saquan Williams (Hoboken) as “Scarecrow,” Nick Ardito-Martelli (Hackettstown) as “Tinman,” McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem, PA) as “Dorothy,” and Magic Zas, the Dog (Hackettstown) as “Toto” [Photo Credit: Pat Lanciano] |
 Photo L-R: Lea Antolini (Sparta) as “Auntie Em,” McKenzie Custin (Bethlehem, PA) as “Dorothy,” Jeremy Hilgert (Delaware Water Gap, PA) as “Zeke/Lion,” and Nick Ardito-Martelli (Hackettstown) as “Hickory/Tinman” [Photo Credit: Pat Lanciano] |
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Schedule
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About the David and Carol Lackland Center
 Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Performing Arts Center |
The Centenary Stage Company has found its new home with construction the Carol and David Lackland Center (located at 715 Grand Ave, Hackettstown), completed in August, 2010. With a 22,000-square-foot performance space, the facility is the most sophisticated performing arts venues in northwest New Jersey. The center includes a new state-of-the-art 500-seat theatre (Sitnik Theater), a black box theater (The Edith Bolte Kutz ’42 Theater), a dance studio, scene shop, a costume shop, green room and dressing rooms. In addition to housing the theatre, the 68K square foot Lackland Center is home to a variety of cultural activity, and including WNTI, the College's listener-supported public radio station, CCTV, Centenary's Comcast-licensed television studio, and gallery space for visual artists.
Named in honor of Carol Burgess Lackland, A Centenary graduate (Class of 1954), and her husband, David A. Lackland, a Centenary College Trustee, The David and Carol Lackland Center, has been designed to enrich student life and bring new cultural opportunities to northwest New Jersey. ...more (including photos, progress reports, and 'Tour Lackland with Carl')
| Lackland Center Seating | |
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Sitnik Lower Level Seating Seats assigned on a best available basis. [closer view] |
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Sitnik Balcony Seating Seats assigned on a best available basis. [closer view] |
| Parking [Large Map Link] [Print Map Link] | |
Tickets for The Mousetrap are available for purchase online using our Secure Online Ticketing, by calling (908)979-0900 or in person at the Lackland Center. See full details on our 'How To Order' page. To purchase tickets or to find more information on other performances in the 2012-2013 season, see our Web site, www.centenarystageco.org or call (908) 979-0900. Patrons are encouraged to check the age recommendations for individual shows.
Subscription Flex Passes:
| Golden Flex Pass (all 25 events incl. Curtain Up & Family Series) | $275.00 | |
| Pick Ten Flex Pass (any ten events) | $200.00 | |
| Pick Seven Flex Pass (any seven events) | $147.00 | |
| Pick Five (Any five events) | $110.00 | |
| FLEX PASSES ARE FOR CSC EVENTS ONLY AND DO NOT INCLUDE BLUES BASH OR NUTCRACKER. YOU DO NOT NEED TO CHOOSE FLEX PASS EVENTS IN ADVANCE. | ||
Individual Tickets
Individual Tickets are:
| Season Plays |
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Theatre Plays (Except Wizard of Oz)
Wizard of Oz
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| Season Concert/Dance Events (in advance): | |||
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Concerts and Special Events
‘Music for a Sunday Afternoon’ Family Series January Jazz Fest
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| The Wizard of Oz is Sponsored By: | |
 Restaurant Village at Long Valley |
 Hackettstown Regional Medical Center |
| The 2012-13 season of performing arts events at Centenary Stage Company is made possible (and affordable) through the generous support of the The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, and sponsors, including Premier Sponsors Fulton Bank of New Jersey and Heath Village Retirement Community, as well as Silver Sponsors Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Holiday Inn (Budd Lake-Rockaway Area), Bronze Sponsor, Mama's and Café Baci, in Hackettstown and Centenary Stage Company Members and Sponsors. |
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