Yellow Brick Road leads to St. Paul stage

NORWALK — Students in the St. Paul High School Drama Club are preparing to bring a familiar story to the stage this spring with their annual musical production. Performances of "The Wizard of Oz" will be hosted at St. Paul High School at 7:30 p.m. this Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, and 2 p.m. this Sunday, March 8. Tickets are available to the public and can be purchased through the school. The show follows Dorothy Gale, a Kansas girl who is swept into the magical land of Oz by a tornado. Along the Yellow Brick Road she meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion while trying to reach the Wizard, who she hopes can help her return home. Along the way, the group must face the Wicked Witch of the West. This year's production features Molly McFadden as Dorothy, Murphy Ruffing as the Cowardly Lion, Mason Barman as the Tin Man, Chloe Hazelwood as the Scarecrow, Allyson Takacs as Glinda the Good Witch and Mallorie Sowers as the Wicked Witch. For Ruffing, a senior, the role of the Cowardly Lion fits his personality. "I like making people laugh. I like making people smile," Ruffing said. "I just like doing it in general, so I thought I'd try this." Sowers, a junior, said the Wicked Witch has long been a role she hoped to play. "That's always been like my dream role," Sowers said. "I always dreamed of doing 'The Wizard of Oz' or 'Wicked,' so I was really excited when it was announced this year." Students said the production process has helped them connect with other members of the cast while watching the show take shape. "It's really been a great opportunity to meet new people and to bond with other people," one cast member said. "It's fun just seeing the theater magic happen." For the senior cast members, the production also carries some added meaning as their final show at the school. "It's definitely bittersweet," a senior cast member said. "It's also good to kind of go out on a high note and put on a show that I'm proud of." The production is part of the drama club's annual musical program, which brings students together each year to perform a full stage show for the community.