‘Oz’ on a grand scale

Over the next few months, the Frontiersman will periodically check in with Valley Performing Arts in its run-up to opening night of "The Wizard of Oz."

Why are we spending so much time with this one show? Director Larry Bottjen probably says it best.

"It's bigger in scale than anything we've ever attempted before," he said.

Whereas past shows have had one carpenter, this one has five. Whereas past shows have had one set painter, this one has four. They're going to need 130 costumes.

Right about now anyone who's ever visited VPA's theater in Wasilla is wondering where organizers are going to fit it all. Is that theater large enough?

"No! It's not nearly big enough. I don't know what I'm going to do. I've got too many munchkins," Bottjen said.

They've had to push all the furniture stored in back rooms to one side. He's told the makeup director she's going to have to "Lone Ranger it" without any help because he can't cram anyone else backstage. And they're going to store set pieces in a trailer parked out back.

As for the technical complexity - monkeys will fly, the witch will melt into the floor - they're actually excavating under the stage, digging in the dirt to make a trail down there to accomplish that last feat.

And, having said all this, Bottjen points out that, to some degree, the complexity is self-inflicted. There are lots of versions of the play out there. VPA could have chosen an easier one. But it didn't, opting instead for the Royal Shakespeare Company's version, which Bottjen said is the most movie-like and complex version out there.

"We want to be able to bring to the Valley people what they expect from Wizard of Oz," he said.

Bottjen said it has the potential to transform the organization, bumping VPA up to a new level, possibly into a larger building.

Of course, that's the future. Right now, Bottjen and his crew have a show to put on.

"The biggest challenge for a director with something like this is not so much art, I hate to dispel any notions about the art of theater, but it's so much more about organization and scheduling and making sure that you honor everybody's efforts," he said. "The second job is to keep them working for you."

- Andrew Wellner