After a month filled with events such as the drag show and Queer Factor, Spectrum will conclude its P.R.O.U.D. month of events with its own production of the musical "The Wiz" at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Pruis Hall. The show will feature Spectrum members, as well as students who are not a part of the organization.
Spectrum President Damon Clevenger, who plays the Timan, picked out the show at the end of last year. Unlike previous years' performances, "The Wiz" does not focus on GLBTQ issues but still sends out a message the whole audience can connect to.
"I like to call it our community theater, emphasis on the unity, because I think there are some central ideas in the show that can really bring people together," Clevenger said. "Some of the best themes in the show are believing in yourself and the value of home, wherever that may be."
Originally done with an entirely African-American cast, "The Wiz" puts the original story of Dorothy in a different cultural setting and places the tale to more contemporary music.
"‘The Wizard of Oz' is a show for all ages where ‘The Wiz' is more for older audiences," Jenika Garetson, the show's choreographer and Scarecrow, said. "College-age students would be able to pick up on jokes younger kids wouldn't understand."
While choreographing the numbers for the musical, Garetson said she tried to keep as close as possible to the style and themes portrayed in the original. She took inspiration from the movie and previous work she had done for a production of "The Wizard of Oz," she said. When choreographing, she also tried to look at each character and interpret how they would act.
Katherine Lozon, who plays Dorothy, said Spectrum's version will try to capture the same craziness presented in the movie but make it more grounded to connect with the audience.
"[‘The Wiz'] is a basic story that they've changed into a more fun and funky story," Lozon said. "I hope that that can translate, how everybody can come together and put on a great show that everyone can enjoy."
'The Wiz'
Where: Pruis Hall
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Plot Synopsis: "The Wiz" debuted in 1978 and starred Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz," the show follows the same storyline as the original but is set in a contemporary and different cultural setting.
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