"The Oz Chronicles"- Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

Brelby is known for their upscale, jaw dropping summer epics that make you sit on the edge of your seat, and motivate you to invest in a gym membership. The Oz Chronicles being their third, it was clear that expectations would be raised, and limits would be challenged. Low and behold, they did not disappoint. As I sat by two of my closest friends with all of our hands grabbing each other with anticipation from one scene to the next, it was so apparent that we were definitely not in Arizona anymore. 

Play in a Nutshell: The land of OZ has been taken under control by the Wicked Witch of the North, Mombi and her loyal subjects. With the power of evil, she has managed to wipe out the memories of Oz from its citizens, creating a sense of terror throughout the land. Now, it is up to Ozma, their original graceful leader, Dorothy, and her other loving subjects including a promising Girl and Boy to overthrow Mombi's dominance, and bring peace back to Oz.

First of all, the design elements in this show made me speechless. Though Theatre Works is not their usual home for their summer epics, they have definitely taken the creative freedom (and rightfully so) to adapt to their environment by providing this production with gorgeous scenery by Brian Maticic; colorfully intricate lighting by Mollie Flanagan; beautifully crafted puppets by Mia Passarella; trendy and playful costumes by Carolyn McBurney; thoughtful and complex hair and make up by Melody Chrispen; charming underscore by Jessica Holt; effective props by Jean Hailey, and innovative media design by Fernando Perez. Creating a land as complex and bold as Oz is a beast in itself, and these effects alone made it easy for the audience to become engrossed into the story immediately.

But what is a show without its actors? And boy, has Brian Maticic cast this show with careful thought and creativity. It was so refreshing to see not only Brelby veterans take on bold and exciting personalities outside their comfort zones, but also notice a plethora of new and friendly faces making their Brelby debut. The cast works together effortlessly, providing each other with loving care and boisterous gusto with every swing of their sword or kick of their heel. It is not a show featuring 27 individual performances, it is an ensemble of 27 hands creating magic together with fire and imagination.

Shelby Maticic's writing brings Baum's precious childhood books seamlessly from the page to the stage, crafting the characters we all know and love with witty dialogue and a fresh layer of skin. Especially considering the amount of books that were used to build the script, the amount of flow and consistency featured in Maticic's play provides the audience with a strong tale to be adored by Oz fanatics young and old. 

Brian Maticic's directing in both performance and fight choreography create the land of Oz for the dreamer in all of us. With his patience and eagerness, he has adapted brilliantly to the environment i nhis blocking and stage combat. To consider this production as a spectacle is an understatement; the amount of heart, dedication, and momentum that is splashed onto the stage is an example of why Brelby is so good at what they do. Case in point- if you want a night of thrilling and entertaining theatre, go see this show.

The Oz Chronicles has its final showings this weekend. Be sure to check it out for its limited run! Tickets can be purchased at brelby.com or at the door.

Location: Theatre Works (Peoria Center for Performing Arts)
Show Dates and Times: August 18-20 @ 7:30, August 20-21 @ 3pm

Cast: 

Boy: Jared Queen
Girl: Kristiana Faddoul
Smith: Luke Gomez
Tinker: Clayton Caufman
Ozma: Shelby Maticic
Mombi: Megan O'connor
Dorothy: Jessie Tully
The Hungry Tiger: Devon Mahon
The Cowardly Lion: Tim Mccandless
Captain Fyter: Mat Vansen
Jinjur: Anabel Olguin
Ervic: Jaren Navenma
Gryphon: Zachary Arnold
Unicorn: Bertha Cortes
Polychrome: Kim See
West: Chelsea Jauregui
East- Megan Olsen
South: Chavez Benally
Jester: Van Rockwell
The Tin Man: David Magadan
Zeb Hugson: Brandon Sanchez
Lurline: Ilana Lydia
Locasta: Sheryl Willaims
Toodles: Shandi Mortenson
China Girl: Maria Hailey
Margaret: Mary-Elizabeth Gilbertson
Bristle: Gabriel Escudero

Design Team:
Playwright: Shelby Maticic

Director/Scenic Designer: Brian Maticic

Media Designer: Fernando Perez
Lighting Designer: Mollie Flanagan
Costume Designer: Carolyn McBurney
Hair & Makeup Designer: Melody Chrispen
Sound Design: Jessica Holt
Props Design: Jean Hailey
Puppet Designer: Mia Passarella