Beaumont Civic Ballet presents The Wizard of Oz

As the late Marsha Woody Zummo had a vision to bring dance to a higher level when she founded the Beaumont Civic Ballet, children’s author L. Frank Baum also shared a vision when he authored “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by blending elements of magic, humor, characters to inspire life lessons.

“All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.”

Victor Fleming turned the book into the famed musical that stared the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton in 1939 and still remains as one of the greatest films of all time some eight decades later.

For the first time ever, the Beaumont Civic Ballet will present “The Wizard of Oz” on Sunday, Feb. 13, inside the Julie Rogers Theatre (765 Pearl St.) in downtown Beaumont at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for seniors/children, $20 adults, and can be purchased online at beaumontcivicballet.net or by calling (409) 838-4397.

“We love to do storybook ballets,” said Monique Zummo Steinhagen, director of the Beaumont Civic Ballet. “We have done ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ but ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is completely new. It inspires everyone when we do something different. When I see the excitement with the kids and the staff, that inspires me. I know I am doing my job right when their faces light up.”

Steinhagen said that co-director Megan Forgas Anderson had the idea of “The Wizard of Oz” three years ago. “This is all Megan,” added Steinhagen.

Anderson said it fell into place last summer, but it took time to find the right music to actually compose the ballet. Rehearsals began in August before the company started with The Nutcracker.

“The music from the musical is cinematic,” said Anderson. “It’s not near enough. You need highs and lows, fast and slows to do an entire work.” After searching, Anderson found French composer Francis Poulenc and pieced together several of his works to create the music for “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Once you have the music, you create the storyline,” said Anderson. “Then, once the dancers are in the studio, you create characters around them and that’s what I like the most with originals – you create it specifically for each dancer.”

All of the favorites of “The Wizard of Oz” will be seen on stage including Dorothy (Avery Jackson, freshman at West Brook); The Tin Man (Olivia de la Madrid, sophomore at West Brook); Scarecrow (Sienna Peterson, sophomore at Kelly); The Cowardly Lion (Cole Henson, graduating senior); The Wicked Witch of the West (Emerie Callas, junior at Hardin Jefferson Glinda the Good Witch (Avery Binagia, graduating senior).

“I took pieces from both the book and movie,” said Anderson. “We will have projector images with an animated tornado on stage as well as the great and powerful Wizard will come alive on stage.”

Anderson added that this performance gives the company an opportunity to dance new roles and improve on their technique, too.

“The main characters have created a really great chemistry,” said Anderson. “It’s really fun. I have a smile on my face talking about it – watching them bring their natural talent to the stage.”

More than 50 dancers will perform in the ballet.

“We have phenomenal talent,” added Anderson. “Our girls are the best. They are classically trained ballerinas.”

With incredible costumes by Ouida Broussard, remarkable make up by artist Suzette Broussard, high quality tech, which includes fantastic lighting by Mark Arrington and Sweet Southern Sound, the audience will be in for an unforgettable afternoon.

“It’s a precious,” said Steinhagen. “It’s the story of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ but none of the music. Our characters are in ballet form, but  they look like the main characters. They are prettier and not as scary. Even our Wicked Witch looks awesome.”