After dedicating two years to saving money to pay for flight apparatus for Glinda in the spring show, “The Wizard of Oz,” the 10 months of back-and-forth contracts turned out to be unsuccessful. Despite this setback, theater and English teacher Dr. Julian Lazarus is working to make the show a success without the aspect of flying.
The spring musical will portray Dorothy being swept up by a tornado and teaming up with the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow to find the Wizard, meeting Glinda the good witch and the Wicked Witch of the West on the way.
To have Glinda, Dorothy and the Wicked Witch’s monkeys flying in the show, Dr. Lazurus applied to professional flying companies across the country that work with Broadway and movies. While Dr. Lazarus has the knowledge to create a flying apparatus, hiring a company would ensure the safety of the cast and provide the insurance required. “Even though I know how to do it, it doesn’t mean I should do it,” Dr. Lazurus said.
After contacting the companies to solicit contracts, Dr. Lazarus sent them measurements of the organized space along with pictures.
The contracts were then submitted to MCPS for administration review. The central office evaluated them through risk management procedures before passing them to the MCPS general counsel. According to Dr. Lazarus, they remained untouched for an extended period. Dr. Lazarus said, “They lingered in the risk management office for more than a month without even being reviewed.”
Rehearsals were going on during this period without knowing how the flying would happen. “About a month ago, the show was getting closer, and we still hadn’t practiced the flying,” senior Anna Lizondo, playing Dorothy, said.
The contracts were sent back and forth between the flying company and the general counsel multiple times to address issues. Montgomery County asked for items the company wasn’t willing to do, and the contract never ended up being signed. “It got to the point where they were still arguing over contract details past the date that the company would have needed to send out all of them,” Dr. Lazarus said.
Dr. Lazarus had considered the previous two times this school had students flying in theater productions. There is documentation and pictures to confirm that it was done, but, according to Dr. Lazarus, the previous paperwork has not been located.
Versions of “The Wizard of Oz” without flying exist, but the history of flying in the past made Dr. Lazarus want to create a magical experience for the audience and cast members. “I just wanted to add a little extra magic to the show,” Dr. Lazarus said.
With the short notice of the rejected flight apparatus, the production schedule changed. The tech team needed to create builds for the illusion of flight. “We are implementing many different pyrotechnics in order to enhance the show’s visual appeal to the audience,” tech crew freshman Yasha Zbarsky said.
Even without certain characters flying, the show will go on. There are low-tech methods of creating flight illusions, which theater-goers will see at performances on Apr. 3-6.
