Wizard of Oz nets three Jester Awards
Staff writer
Most Marion area residents who enjoy musical theater know Marion High School puts on a professional quality performance each fall.
The pros know it too.
"The Wizard of Oz," the Marion High School drama department's fall musical, won three Jester Awards May 29 during a ceremony at the Mary Jane Teall Theatre at Century II in Wichita.
Marion High School won awards for outstanding production number, outstanding smaller ensemble performance, and outstanding achievement in scenery/design, said Janet Killough, director and MHS instructor.
The outstanding production number was for "Munchkinland." The outstanding smaller ensemble performance was for the "crow trio." The outstanding achievement in scenery/design was awarded to Ken and Terri Arnhold for creating the sets used in the production.
"Munchkinland" is the song which introduces "Dorothy" to the wonders of the unusual place. It involved the full chorus — attired in elaborate, colorful costumes — thanking Dorothy for killing the Wicked Witch of the West and then welcoming her to "Munchkinland."
To create the illusion of "Munchkins," director Killough had chorus members sitting on scooters which allowed them to be mobile during the choreographed number.
"We used old high school graduation robes for the costumes," Killough explained. "They were sort of full, and then we slit them around the back and put in a gusset so they would fit over the kids' knees since they had them pulled up to ride the scooter."
"Crow trio" involved a scene with several crows "picking" on the "Scarecrow" played by Justin Brookens.
MHS was nominated for a total of six awards. Brookens was nominated for outstanding leading male performer for his performance as the Scarecrow. Megan Whitaker, who played the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, received a nomination for outstanding female featured performer; and Michael Brookens was nominated for outstanding cameo performance for his role as the Mayor of Munchkinland.
As an added bonus during the awards assembly, Justin Brookens, a new MHS graduate, performed "If I Only Had a Brain," in his Scarecrow costume for the crowd attending the awards assembly.
"Justin was just marvelous," Killough said. "He was definitely the best there — and I'm not just saying that."
He was accompanied by fellow MHS graduate, Tim Schuler, on drums. Schuler, coincidently, portrayed the role of the Tin Man during the performance.
Twenty-six schools entered the Jester Award competition and 14 received nominations.
"We were the smallest school entered in the competition," Killough said. "Most of the others were 6A and 5A schools."
Wichita Collegiate had 24 nominations for its production of "Seussical the Musical" and won best overall production. Other top winners were Wichita East and McPherson high schools, Killough said.
As the smallest school in the competition, MHS had the greatest percentage of its student body participating in the production.
Killough said she first entered the competition during the 2002-03 school year "on a whim."
During that first year, the school received three nominations and one win for "outstanding performance by a small ensemble" for its production of "Annie Get Your Gun."
Individuals affiliated with Music Theatre of Wichita are sent to judge the opening night performance.
"You don't know who they are or anything about them," Killough said. "You just set tickets aside for them."
Killough said she was surprised this past November when the judges came and introduced themselves to her following the "Wizard of Oz" performance.
"They came and told me it was absolutely fabulous," she said.
