The Wizard is Here!

Not Your Garden Variety Theater (N.Y.G.V.) is Little Red Hen's theater Children's Program. This wonderful program meets for six weeks in the summer, and we recently brought our latest production of The Wizard of Oz to a close.

Children's theater is a fun and interactive activity that uses socialization and teamwork to teach crucial skills to our wonderful kids on the autism spectrum. The cast and crew were hard at work learning their lines, working on projecting their voices and working as a team to bring The Wizard of Oz to life. The timeless message of chasing dreams and friendship is a perfect fit for Little Red Hen. 

Rehearsal 

After some warm ups, N.Y.G.V. Instructor Mickey L. had fun teaching kids to walk like different characters; jump around like the excitable dog Toto, or shrink back in fear like the Cowardly Lion.  

Wizard of Oz is a musical of course, and throughout rehearsal the cast was learning and singing the classic Wizard of Oz songs. Well-known favorites such as "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" guided Dorothy & her pals as they continued their quest against the "Misunderstood Witch." 

THE FINAL PERFORMANCE

Showtime! After weeks of work, the cast took to the stage on August 12, 2017 to perform in front of family, friends, and a camera! Stagehands, managers, cast members, and instructors all came together for the recording of The Wizard of Oz DVD. The play opened to a packed house, and our Lifespan Center was filled to capacity. 

 N.Y.G.V. Program Supervisor Brooke exclaimed, "The night of the performance the kids were absolutely elated to show off their hard work to a full audience. From a cackle, to a giggle, to a BOOMing voice, to a mischievous monkey song, the kids wowed everyone and we couldn't have been more proud!"

  

Little Red Hen would like to thank all the parents and awesome kids who participated in the program this year. It is a lot of hard work but the end product is always worth it. With the work of the entire cast, our supportive and creative instructors and a great staff of technical experts, this has been the best year yet! 

Not Your Garden Variety Theater is an amazing program and wouldn't be possible without the support of our wonderful community. Donations pay for costumes, sound equipment, lighting, and more! With your help, next year's production will be worthy of a wizard! Click here to make a donation today.