A modern musical take on one of the greatest films of all time was recently brought to life on stage by a very talented cast and crew at St Rita’s College.

The College community was abuzz with excitement after the opening night of The Wizard of Oz, which had been months in the making, involved over 150 students and sold out in record time.

St Rita’s College Head of The Arts and Musical Director, Mrs Bliss Coster, said the time, effort and determination of staff and students had been nothing short of wonderful.

“This was The Wizard of Oz like you have never seen it before,” Mrs Coster said.

“We took the classic tale and added amazing modern backdrops, hilarious one-liners, 76 munchkins, 50 OzLand people, accents, an all-female cast, a real-life Toto and some of the most phenomenal costumes you have ever seen in a school production.”

“Due to a sell-out season, we had to open up two extra tech shows due to such a high demand; it is just so heart-warming.

“I have directed many productions over the past 13 years working in the entertainment industry, but the work quality of the lead vocalists, actors and musicians is equivalent to that of industry professionals.” 

Year 12 student and College Music Captain (Vocal) Annie Dougherty stunned audiences in the role of Dorothy. 

“One of my favourite parts about playing Dorothy was working with a real-life Toto and the joy of being able to perform with a brilliant cast and orchestra,” Annie said.

“The amazing range of talents showcased from so many of the girls at St Rita’s really worked to create an outstanding and professional production.”

A spectacular 24-piece orchestra featuring an array of instruments was led by St Rita’s College Head of Cocurricular Music, Mr Craig Kennedy.

“While much of the music is well beyond the standard usually performed in regular ensembles, orchestra students thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and certainly rose to the occasion,” Mr Kennedy said.  

“They encountered many new musical concepts and have been enriched by the whole experience which will only serve to develop the belief they have in themselves when they next face a challenging situation.

“This will be a memory they will treasure for many years to come.”

The College’s state-of-the-art Trinity Centre Auditorium housed the production.