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Schoolkids put twist on ‘Wizard’


This was a collaboration between the Daniel Carter Beard JHS 189, the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts,…

By J. Davis

Flushing Town Hall recently presented the Cyber Theatre Arts Productions multimedia version of the Frank Baum classic “The Wizard of Oz.”

This was a collaboration between the Daniel Carter Beard JHS 189, the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, Roundtable Theater Company, Teaching Matters Inc., Magic Box Productions and Apple Computers.

A lengthy list of faculty and students helped make the production possible, including the efforts of Class 701, which wrote the original lyrics and script for the performance, and class 702, which handled the vocals for the show.

The youngsters’ production was introduced by Harvey Seitfer, executive and artistic director of Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts. The multimedia production used computerized figures of Dorothy and Toto, the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tinman. Live characters were on stage between the computerized action scenes. A live Dorothy sang original lyrics to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” A mixed chorus of students under the direction of music teacher Margie Daniels added their voices to the production.

Principal Cindy Diaz-Burgos and assistant principal Rita Petosa voiced their thanks to the corporations involved and the students for their dedication, noting the school’s motto, adopted from Walt Disney: “Its kind of fun to do the impossible.”