That unforgettable moment in “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy leaves a dreary Kansas of black and white and finds herself in the new technicolor world of Oz is a classic moment in the history of American film. It was the first instance of color in a feature film, which immediately brought the screen to life. Who could forget the vibrance of Glinda’s pink bubble, the wicked witch’s green face or Dorothy’s ruby red slippers? The University’s own Resonance Choir will give audiences a new spin on “The Wizard of Oz” tonight at the Bama Theatre with their show “Straight Outa Oz.”
“Resonance Show Choir is a student-led organization where all students can express their creative freedom via song and dance,” said Kailie Power, a junior majoring in psychology and member of Resonance.
The show choir is a group of both male and female students who perform musical selections of all genres and types. Past selections include songs by Aerosmith, Lady Gaga and Tina Turner, according to the group’s Facebook page. Tonight’s show is divided into two sets, the first of which includes “Walk this Way” by Aerosmith and “Let it Be” by The Beatles. The second set is all about Oz and includes “Ease on Down the Road” from “The Wiz” and “Applause” by Lady Gaga.
The intertwining of song and dance elements—which go into a show choir performance—strikes an interesting blend of theater and choir performance characteristics. This blend is what Resonance hopes will keep the story of Oz fresh despite its numerous other adaptations.
“I suggested Oz because it’s a timeless classic that everyone knows,” said Chance Anderson, a junior vocal performance major who is also in Resonance.
Although the show will be Oz themed, it won’t tell the story with the same song and dance numbers from the film. Resonance will instead perform many different and more modern songs to tell the Oz story in a creative way.
“It’s colorful and so many good songs can be used to tell the story, so the creative freedom is endless,” Anderson said.
Katie Jack, a sophomore majoring in geography and anthropology, most enjoys performing Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse.”
“My favorite is ‘Dark Horse’ because you get to see a lot of the characters interacting and the entire choir has so much energy every time we perform it,” Jack said.
Coordinating and rehearsing a show like this one doesn’t happen overnight. “Straight Outa Oz” is the culmination of nearly a year of planning and long rehearsals for Resonance. The group has been rehearsing since September.
“The show has been building and evolving since last summer- finding arrangements and costumes, making sure we have enough to start the yea, and planning which numbers represent what part of the Oz story,” Anderson said.
For some Resonance members, like senior MIS major Cooper Real, the show isn’t only a culmination of the past year, but a culmination of an entire experience with Resonance.
“‘Straight Outa Oz’ is going to be my last show with Resonance, so I’ve been working extra hard to make sure I go out with a bang,” Real said.
Other than the Oz show, there will be acts of choir members doing other songs and dances. “Straight Outa Oz” will be tonight at the Bama Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. with tickets available at the door. For more information visit www.bamatheatre.org.
