The Yellow Brick Road

The Yellow Brick Road may seem to go on forever, but we’re taking no short-cuts through poppy fields to get to the Emerald City. The five weeks between now and opening night on the 28^th of November will seem plenty short enough. We have indeed come very far, but there’s just a bit more to go.

We found a Toto! Thanks to Sinead at Mutt Ugly in Ranelagh, we found a very biddable and trainable Schnauzer. Not a Cairn Terrier like Toto in the film, but a much nicer breed. He will be attending the Munchkin rehearsal on the 25^th of October, so we’ll all get to see his debut.

Last Saturday, a half dozen key actors participated in our final video shoot in Blue Cloud Studio in Clare Hall, Malahide. We were mainly filming various characters who will be flying around inside the tornado. Look out for a special guest star appearance!

Speaking of flying, tickets are flying out the school office. There are limited seats and, it looks like every night will sell out well in advance, so book your tickets soon. Contact the school office today!

That’s all for this fortnight. Don’t forget to check the website for schedule changes, and we’ll have another cast interview up this week.

“Oh joy! Rapture! I’ve got a brain! --- I think.”

From the director's chair

From where I sit, things are moving towards the Emerald City with an ever gathering pace. The official kick-off for the production was held on Thursday night. Well over 100 cast members got something of a taster of what the production will be like. Principal actors performed, everyone had their turn on stage, and some of the preliminary special effects were previewed. The excitement was palpable.

Another big achievement on the night was measuring the entire cast for costumes. The expert team of Dee Jennings, Wendy Bourne, Betty Murphy, Dana Kilroy, Jennifer Cummins and the illustrious Colm Wall (all teachers in the school) worked tirelessly throughout the evening. They deserve a hearty round of applause. As usual, the production continues to get incredible support from Ms Edith Byrne, Principal, and Mr Cyril Hoffman, Deputy Principal, who were both present for the entire evening. Also, our sincere gratitude to Kitty Melody for again ensuring our coffee, tea and biscuit needs were met. Finally, a big thank you to all the parents who rowed in with support on the night.

The evening also saw the launch of both ticket sales and the Friends of OZ patrons scheme. It was a very auspicious start. Quite a number of tickets were sold and we have several Friends of OZ already on board. I have a feeling that ticket sales will start to gain momentum leading up to half term. Please contact the Sandford Park School office to book yours today. If you would like to become a Friend, you can also contact the school office for details.

In these blogs, I have yet to mention one particular individual in this musical endeavor. 'Professional' is the first word that comes to mind when acknowledging Mr Jonathan Browner's expertise and enthusiasm. In the midst of rehearsing for OZ, he has managed to lead the Senior Choir to the All-Ireland Choir Leinster Regional Finals, a feat which not only brings us closer to the All-Island Finals, but also means that the choir and the school will be part of the RTE All-Ireland Choir Competition television programme on Wednesday, the 17th of October. Don't miss it! (We MAY even get an OZ mention.) Also, considering that Mr Browner has managed to secure musicians from the RTE Concert Orchestra for our production, we can rest assured that, musically speaking, we can expect nothing less than a professional tour de force.

That's all for this week, but do keep checking the website for updates. And remember - níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.

C. Shepard

To Toto too, part two.

With rehearsals well under way, the production is gaining momentum daily.

The Wizard of Oz himself has achieved a stunning feat by performing his magic on screen a full two months in advance of the play. Curious? You’ll have to come to the performance to see what I mean.

Our search for Toto has not, as of yet, yielded results. Anyone with a Terrier type dog that isn’t too young or too ‘lively’ is welcome to contact the school. We would love a real dog in the production.

The first Munchkin rehearsal went exceedingly well. Pupils from Sandford Park and over a dozen other schools sang Ding Dong the Witch is Dead with an enthusiasm that could have opened the show. It will be twice the celebration come the 28^th of November.

If you are a member of the cast, don’t forget to go to the Rehearsal Schedule link to see when you’re needed. We look forward to seeing you then.

This blog will be updated weekly, and sometimes the Rehearsal Schedule, so check this site often. There’s no place like the homepage.

The Journey to Oz thus Far

At the risk of over-working the obvious cliches, we are indeed ‘off to see the Wizard’. The Yellow Brick Road is long and has many twists and turns. I almost shudder when I think of the Wicked Witch of the West’s sinister pronouncement, ‘You call that long – why you’ve only just begun!’

Although it sometimes feels that way, I do know we are making excellent progress towards making this production something truly special. Rehearsals began on Monday the 3^rd of September with the seven principal cast members. For a first rehearsal, the performances were nothing short of astounding. None of us could restrain our laughter at Darragh’s portrayal of the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr would be flattered). 

Our ‘Star Search for Toto’ campaign is also making dogged progress. We have four canine candidates, but are open to more entries. Please contact the school if you have any talented Terrier thespians.

The production side of things is also hotting up. We are ensuring that the level of professionalism will rival any West End or Broadway show. We’re using professional special effects like digital green-screen technology, and a whole host of other surprises.

If you are a member of the cast, don’t forget to go to the Rehearsal Schedule link to see when you’re needed. We look forward to seeing you then.

This blog will be updated weekly, along with the Cast Corner and sometime the Rehearsal Schedule, so check this site often. There's no place like the homepage.