By his own count, Nolan Robinson has played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz three times, but the production opening July 8 at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, he says, stand out: It features the most dancing.
Nolan Robinson, center, embraces the role of Scarecrow.
That’s a good thing for Robinson, who grew up in Evanston and trained in dance at Dance Center Evanston while pursuing theater at Northwestern.
“I’m having a blast,” Robinson says. “Scarecrow’s become a good friend of mine, and whether it’s three times or 30, I will always follow that yellow brick road with him.”
In talking to some of the suburban actors, as well as Director Tor Campbell, they are interpreting deeper story lines into the show beyond staging this beloved classic. Take Robinson, for example. He reflects that the story is as much about Scarecrow’s journey as it is Dorothy’s.
“It’s funny, he often says he’s not very bright about things, but it was his idea to join Dorothy on the journey to go see the Wizard, which then inspired the Tin-Man and Cowardly Lion to come along as well,” Robinson says. “We also get to see a piece of the brains, heart and courage that the friends seek from the Wizard in our introduction of Scarecrow.”
Director Tor Campbell works with the cast.
Campbell sees one of the major forces in the story as none other than the tornado, describing it as more than a spectacular effect.
“It’s really the catalyst for Dorothy’s transformation,” Campbell says. “Before the tornado, Dorothy feels misunderstood and disconnected. The storm literally and metaphorically lifts her out of the world she knows and forces her into a journey of self-discovery.
“It’s the thing that pushes her beyond her comfort zone, introduces her to people who shape her, and ultimately helps her discover her own strength,” he adds. “We spend so much of our lives trying to avoid life’s storms, but Oz reminds us that sometimes the very thing that uproots us is also the thing that helps us grow.”
Emmett Knee, who grew up in Mount Prospect and performed in shows at Prospect High School, knows something about growth, particularly artistic growth. He is singing and performing in a growing number of theatrical productions as well as singing with the Apollo Chorus in Chicago. But performing in The Wizard of Oz, at the Metropolis, he says, feels like coming home.
Emmet Knee rehearses with the cast.
“Being at Metropolis reminds me of being a kid,” says Knee, who is in the ensemble. “The first ever acting lessons I took were at Metropolis, and growing up in the suburbs it felt like a very accessible place to see great art and to learn how to be a performer.”
Knee describes The Wizard of Oz, as a touchstone for so many people.
“I remember watching the movie as a kid and revisiting it throughout my life,” Knee says. “I feel like for so many people it has stuck with them since they were young. To be a part of it now, with this awesome team, is very exciting, and it has been so rewarding to put our own spin on the classic story.”
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