Pioneer High School’s Theater Comeback

In January, the Pioneer High School Theater Department began rehearsals for their 2022 production of “The Last Oz Story”; the first musical since 2019.

Back in March of 2020, Pioneer High School was two weeks away from putting on the production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” until it was canceled due to Covid-19. According to drama teacher and director Ms. Moore, “The goal of every musical is to raise enough money to cover the next year's musical…Unfortunately, because of COVID hitting two weeks before opening, we were able to get our royalties back, but that was only about two-thousand dollars.” These circumstances made the budget for the 2022 spring musical less than $2,000, making the department unable to afford “big publishing companies” such as Music Theatre International or Roger & Hammerstein which usually have budgets of $4,000-$6,000.

However, money was not the only obstacle this year: “We looked at a lot of plays,” Moore said, “And because we are also somewhat limited on bodies, as far as males, getting shows that were more flexible was something to take into consideration.” In the past three years, there had only been about three or two men in the entire cast; some male roles had to be filled by other women.

Taking all of that into account, they were able to land on an off-broadway show called “The Last Oz Story” created by Davis Meyers and Scott Michal, a comical and dramatic sequel inspired by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Does it sound familiar? It’s another tale about the infamous Dorothy Gale, only no one believes that it’s actually her. Elise McKenna, a news reporter, is intrigued by her and investigates whether or not she is telling the truth. While admitted in a Kansas hospital, Dorothy retells the story of her last peculiar adventure in Oz fighting a new witch, Peloros, attempting to convince a cold-hearted social worker, an intellectually-insecure doctor, and cowardly nurse of her identity.

When asked why they chose this specific musical, Ms. Moore answered, “Because it has ‘Oz’ in it, it has Dorothy, Tinman, the Scarecrow, and the Lion…hopefully, that’ll help bring people in.” The more students, staff, family members, or Woodland citizens that come to watch the show, the more money the Pioneer High School Theater Department will have for a more grand, and well-known musical next year.

This year’s spring musical is no “Beauty and The Beast” or “Rent” in terms of fame or popularity; but it's colorful setting, witty dialogue, and nostalgic background are sure to bring many curious people. There will be 4 total performances this year, starting with the opening day on April 1st! Make sure to come show your support!