The Bel Air Drama Company opened their fall production of The Wizard of Oz on Thursday 17, 2022. The auditorium was brimming with support from the Bel Air community.   

The main cast included junior Maggie Donahue, playing Dorothy Gale, junior Brett Conway, portraying the Cowardly Lion, sophomore Drew Opdyke, taking the role of the Tinman, and junior Adam Kindley playing the Scarecrow. Toto is portrayed by a real dog named Phoebe Blankenship (special thank you to freshmen and backstage member Capri Blankenship for letting the company use her dog.) These four leads tell this story so well that you sympathize. You want to help Dorothy get back to Kansas, and you want to help Scarecrow get a brain, Tinman get a heart, and the Lion get some courage! Donahue, Conway, Opdyke, and Kindley truly show us that we’ve got some real talent here at BAHS. 

The backstage crew is led by Bel Air High School Drama Teacher, Nathan Jourdan, who is also the company’s advisor; junior Aubrey Klarman who is the assistant director; junior Dan Morelli that is the show’s production stage manager,; sophomore Brady King that takes the role of assistant stage manager; and sophomore Jordin Hundt that is a production assistant. The choreography was created by sophomore Chloe Morris. The costumes were made by junior Hayley Neal, head of costumes, and the makeup was created by senior Lindsay John, head of makeup, and sophomore Selena Sembly and many more talented people. There is a lot that goes into running a show and these backstage hands make it look easy!

“If you only had a brain, a heart, or the nerve you’d come out to see The Wizard of OZ this weekend!” exclaimed Aubrey Klarman, assistant director.