Theater review: "Oz" takes kids over the rainbow

It's an old story, with venerable themes and instantly familiar characters. And when today's youngsters are swept into the world of "The Wizard of Oz" at Seattle Children's Theatre, they are swiftly transported somewhere over the rainbow — just as their parents and grandparents were, once upon a time.

The 1939 MGM film classic, based on L. Frank Baum's Oz storybooks, remains perennially in-demand on DVD and in periodic TV airings.

Also popular is John Kane's faithful stage adaptation of the movie, originally created for the Royal Shakespeare Company and loaded with tunes from the wonderful Harold Arlen-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg score (from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!"). "Wizard of Oz" is also about the closest thing to a holiday cash cow a theater can muster, without making a single reference to Tiny Tim, Santa Claus or mistletoe.

As expected, Seattle Children's Theatre takes loving care with "Oz," and the reward is how riveted their young audience is to every song, pratfall and witch's cackle.

Director Linda Hartzell has made the rare, and happy, decision to include a combo of live musicians in the budget, ably led by pianist Mark Rabe. And if not every actor aboard the good ship Oz sings well, all are lively and appealing.

Hartzel's approach here is more intimate and homespun than glitzy, both in Matthew Smucker's gliding painted sets, the simple choreography (by Marianne Roberts) and the primary performances.

Kasey Nusbickel (a co-star of SCT's "High School Musical") is a likable, sweet-voiced Dorothy, with good pals to follow the Yellow Brick Road with. They include Todd Jefferson Moore, an enjoyably clownish Cowardly Lion; Auston James, who stumbles and charms as the brainless Scarecrow; and Matt Wolfe, a stiff-jointed Tin Man whose feathery tenor rendition of "If I Only Had a Heart" is a beaut.

Julie Briskman's lip-smackingly nasty Wicked Witch of the West is a lot more fun than Sharva Maynard's goodie-goodie witch, Glinda. But wasn't it ever thus? (Glinda is always a drip, except when reconceived in the Broadway musical, "Wicked," which visits Seattle again next year.)

There are a few small glitches, the most obvious being that the Munchkins are full-size adults, though Catherine Hunt's costumes try to shorten them by illusion. And that snazzy satin gown worn by Briskman is way stylish. (This witch looks like she dropped by Nordstrom on her way to terrorizing Dorothy.)

But these are grown-up quibbles. Kids watching the show are so attentive you can hear a ruby slipper drop.

Versatile puppeteer

Note: This is the final SCT production featuring the puppet designs of Douglas N. Paasch, who died suddenly a week ago.

A local native, Paasch was for more than 20 years an inventive, versatile puppeteer and puppet-maker whose work enriched many SCT shows, and those of other local companies. He was especially known for his witty animal puppets, including the vampire rabbit Bunnicula and a fearsome Cyclops in "The Odyssey."Passch was an artist who regularly conjured theater magic. He will be sorely missed.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com