Peacock Collegiate gives stellar performance of Wizard of Oz for 47th annual musical production
Peacock Collegiate held its 47th annual musical production for three days at its Centennial Auditorium with rousing performances by its students, complimented by a live orchestra.
The school presented, The Wizard of Oz, much to the amusement of the audience who gave a standing ovation to the production team and actors who presented the feel-good musical about finding home and making new friends. From the stage set-up, theatrical smoke/ fog to loud noises and multiple colour flashing lights and strobe-like effects, the audience was taken on a beautiful journey led by the lovable character Dorothy.
Brooke Zarubin, Grade 10 student who played Dorothy was exceptional in her lead role. She amazed the audience with her incredible acting and singing skills. “That role meant a lot to me. It’s been a movie that I’ve watched for years and getting to play that character live onstage was a blessing to me. I got a lot of great responses from the audience. Everyone loves the Wizard of Oz because it is just a feel-good musical for everyone to enjoy. I felt grateful that I had the opportunity to do that.”
It is no surprise that Zarubin gave such an outstanding performance. “I’ve been doing acting since I was about 5 or 6-years-old and it’s been a big part of my life and it is something I really love. I’m considering doing even more acting after high school. The Wizard of Oz was a wonderful experience overall and I’m looking forward to next year’s show.” Another stand out performance was by Grade 12 student Ryley Hartness, who played the comical Scarecrow. He provoked a lot of laughter with his upbeat and spot-on depiction of the character. “I loved every second of playing that role. It’s very rare that you can play such a loose, easy-going character. This was one of the best shows we’ve ever put on at Peacock and I loved being part of every second of it. I’ve been doing school shows since Grade 6 and musicals since Grade 8. I love acting and I try to do it as much as I can. I’m looking towards taking an acting major in university.” Meanwhile, Matthew Fletel played the legendary Wizard of Oz. His performance was equally astonishing as he lived up to the iconic Wizard of Oz character through the sounds, lighting and overall stage presence. “It was a lot of work that went into the production but also a lot of fun. It was something I really got to enjoy. I started off and I got to see myself grow even more in my performance. It’s something I’ve been doing since Grade 6, so I really love it. It was a great way to end my high school journey.”
Principal at Peacock Collegiate, Dustin Swanson, who was also the producer of this year’s show, said their annual production is an important tradition at Peacock Collegiate. This was the 47th consecutive year that the annual musical production was being held at the school. “We appreciate all the support that we get from our parents, students, volunteers and the Moose Jaw community with our musical tradition at Peacock. This is our 47th consecutive year that we’ve had a musical in the Centennial Auditorium. It’s a big part of the school’s yearly experience and it was wonderful to get such strong support from the community and have a great number of students involved. We had 80 per cent of our seats filled each night,” said Swanson. He applauded the work by students and staff who worked for over two months to put on a great production. “There was in excess of 70 students involved in the musical production; acting and behind the scenes. This is an important tradition at Peacock and we’re already looking forward to next year and seeing it continue. It was a great experience for everyone involved.”
Another highlight of the show was the live orchestra, made up of students, staff and community volunteers that enhanced the overall production and magical experience for the audience. The orchestra was nothing short of amazing, as they brought the audience on a journey with the story. The orchestra was led by Peacock’s music teacher, Cam Church and musical director, Ray Deans. “The orchestra was a mix of students and community musicians. We had local musicians, some who came in from Regina and our music teacher, Mr. Church. It is always a cool experience to have a live orchestra be part of your production. It adds to the experience for the audience, as well as for the actors themselves. It’s a challenging experience but also a great one.”