Youngsters tread the Palace boards for their Wiz (From Echo)

Youngsters tread the Palace boards for their Wiz

11:00pm Friday 30th July 2010 in Leisure By James Kershaw

ACCORDING to Emily Malcolm, this is the year of Oz. The way things look, the community and education manager at Southend Theatres may just be right.

Whether it’s Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for a Dorothy, or the cast of American musical comedy-drama Glee performing a track from the Wiz, L Frank Baum’s 1900 book, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, is as relevant as ever.

So what better time to stage a production of the Wiz, the Seventies musical adaptation of the original text?

Organisers of the third Summer Youth Project at Westcliff’s Palace Theatre thought just that, and present their own version of the show from Thursday.

“You can see why the Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been so popular and why so many adaptations have been made,” says Emily, who is also the project’s producer. “The story is really simple – it’s about friendship.

“The Wiz is more modern and the music is more motown, soul and gospel. That, for our cast, is a lot easier to recognise. ”

This year’s production features a cast of 70 youngsters, aged from nine to 19, from across south Essex.

They have varied experience and training in acting, but all have one thing in common, a passion for performing. About 170 hopefuls turned up to the auditions back in April, and they were whittled down to the current cast.

“We have got just about everyone from people studying musical theatre in college, to people who are now having their first experience on stage,” says Emily.

“The auditions were all done on ability rather than experience.”

But it wasn’t just people who tried out for a role in the production. Twenty dogs attended the auditions for the part of Dorothy’s canine companion Toto.

In the end two dogs were selected to play the role.

Emily says: “We realised we hadn’t worked with dogs, or any other animals, before the auditions.

“We had quite a mixture with some running straight off stage. The two we have chosen are very well trained and they will perform some tricks with Dorothy.”

The main idea behind the Summer Youth Projects is to give aspiring actors experience in performing.

It provides them with the opportunity to work on a professional stage, and alongside experts from the theatre industry, which at this year’s musical include director Marc Mollica, who directed Art in the West End, and choreographer Michaela Headford, who has also worked in London’s theatreland.

“It’s run like a professional production. It’s a unique experience to learn from others,” says Emily. “I think we have some stars in the making.”

One of those budding stars is 19-year-old Amy Burrows, who takes on the lead role of Dorothy.

The Thorpe Bay actress, who is a former student at Southend High School for Girls, is studying for a National Diploma in musical theatre at Performers College, in Corringham.

“Dorothy is a dream role for me. When I found out I’d got the part I was ecstatic,” says Amy, who’s been performing since she was three.

Amy will appear in a unique tornado scene that has been put together using state-of-the-art multi media at Belfairs Media Arts School, in Leigh.

Using a combination of images, and a smoke and wind machine, Amy will appear to spin around on a screen as if being tossed by a tornado.

She says: “I’m very excited. To be playing a principal part at the Palace is amazing. It’s a stepping stone to my ultimate dream which is to work in musical theatre in the West End.”

Part of the challenge of the Summer Youth Projects is the way they have to work so quickly. In just a matter of days they have to complete costume fittings, rehearsals, and lots of other technical work.

“There is a lot to learn and each day is very long,” adds Emily. “But equally it’s fun and exciting.”

The Wiz Palace Theatre, London Road, Westcliff.

August 5-8.

£9.50 -£13.50 7.30pm 2.30pm Sat and Sun Phone 01702 351135