Middle schoolers draw crowds for ‘Wizard of Oz’ Community support essential
The middle school theatre program is now in its eighth season, and it puts on a full-length production with only middle school student actors each year. High school students assist middle program students by teaching them crew positions such as directing, set and stage crew production, costuming, and hair and makeup.
Their most recent production of “The Wizard of Oz” brought in the largest audience for a Griffith middle school production to date.
“Our incredible cast and crew delivered an outstanding performance that captivated a large audience,” Ramos said. “We were thrilled to have more than 1,000 people in attendance to enjoy Dorothy’s adventure in the land of Oz. One special highlight of our production was having a real dog play the role of Toto, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the performance.”
The Griffith Theatre Company’s next production is their spring musical, “Beauty and The Beast.”
Parker said that without the support of the school administration, parents and the Griffith community at large, such a successful theatre program would not be possible.
The Griffith community has supported us all along the way,” she said. “Our last two musicals alone were record breakers for our box office, with 2022’s ‘Grease’ being our highest attend show to date. We had more than 1,500 patrons for the weekend. I must confess, we don’t do it for the numbers, but it was pretty exciting to see a line around the building for our opening night.”
The GHS auditorium, which underwent a major renovation last year, has enhanced enjoyment for theatregoers and performers alike.
“Thanks to the recent bonds approved by the school board, our auditorium received a muchneeded facelift, complete with new flooring, carpet, aisle lighting, increased handicap accessible seating and a fresh coat of paint,” Parker said. “It still has that new car smell. The Griffith Educational Foundation also graciously donated towards our new sound system with new receivers that make our productions sound crisp and clear.”
Parker, who has been GHS theatre director for the past 10 years, said she, Ramos and the school administration are always looking for new and exciting ways to bring theatre and its many positives to the student body.
“I have the best group of adult directing staff to work alongside, and I cannot thank them enough for all the hard work that they do all season,” she said. “Working with theatre students is the best part of my day and we hope our audience sees how much we truly love putting on show after show.”