Sonwa Sakuba Productions is set to debut its first children’s musical, The Wizard of Oz, at the Guild Theatre from Thursday April 3 to Saturday April 5.
The show is a bold and colourful portrayal of the adaptation written by Jennifer Reif and, while the story remains the same, there will be some additional songs that audience may or may not know.
The show’s director, producer and choreographer Sonwa Sakuba said working with so many young actors had been amazing.
“Rehearsals began in February, with full sessions from 9am-5pm every Saturday. Initially, many of the parents were nervous and expressed concern about their children and wondering if they would be able to handle the pressure. The children have been handling themselves very well. It has been amazing watching them learn their lines and the choreography,” Sakuba said.
The Tin Man will be played Asekhona Gila, the Lion by Masande Blenjana and Tyla Miles will play the Wicked Witch.
The character of Dorothy will be played by Clarendon Primary School’s Lihlombe Skelenge.
“She has a beautiful voice, our first audition is the singing and she came in with such strong confidence, I knew ‘OK, this is something different’. I have never seen a young girl sing like this. From the go, she was certainly a star among the other girls she auditioned with. She had a freshness and boldness about her,” Sakuba said.
The role of Toto will be played by a young child, instead of a dog. Another one of the biggest things about this production will be the set design.
Sakuba chose to make it elaborate, with lots of colours, which is something the original Wizard of Oz film has plenty of.
“The message of the production is that there’s no place like home. We should look into out own backyard and we may find what we are looking for. Everybody wants to leave home and go somewhere else, saying the grass is greener but it’s not always the case, which is what Dorothy finds out herself,” Sakuba said.
With just days to go before opening night, the team is making final tweaks to ensure a seamless performance, from perfecting choreography to fine-tuning technical elements.
Tickets cost R100 and are available on the website (sonwasakuba.co.za) or at the door.
