We're off to see the Wizard! - Longford entertainment highlight

The eagerly awaited St Mel’s Musical Society production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ opens in the revamped St Mel’s College Sports Hall on Tuesday next, April 7, and runs until Saturday April 11 with a matinee (2pm) and evening performance (7.30pm). 

A lot of hard work is going on behind the scenes to ensure yet another resounding success for the long established local group with the venue transformed into a theatre style setting complete with tiered seating. 

There has been a huge demand for the tickets for this masterpiece musical which is heading for a sell out (2.500 seats in total) and playing the lead role of Dorothy is talented newcomer Andrea Crowe from Drumlish. 

St Mel’s Musical Society are repeating the show for the first time in 33 years when Clondra native Liz Leavy was a perfect Dorothy while reprising the role of the Wizard is the veteran Longford actor John Kelly.

Another link to the 1993 production is the Musical Director Fintan Farrelly and the maestro returns to lend his vast experience in the fine tuning of such magical songs, most notably the iconic ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ accompanied by a magnificent 12-piece orchestra. 

The audiences will also be treated to a rousing rendition of ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’, ‘Ding Dong the Witch is Dead’ and ‘We're off to see the Wizard’ and the excitement is mounting for the cast (in the region of 50) and crew. 

Back as the St Mel’s MS Director is Sean Power from Galway with Triona Mulryan (Ballyleague) making her debut for the company in the role of the Choreographer.

 Get your tickets here: https://www.gr8events.ie/sales/index.php?event=2425 

The show is almost sold out so immediate booking is advised.   

 Cast of Characters 

Dorothy- Andrea Crowe

The Scarecrow/Hunk - Oisín O'Reilly

The Tin Man/Hickory - Jake Reilly

The Lion/Zeke - Aonghus O'Muirí

Glinda - Gráinne Fox

The Wicked Witch/Miss Gulch - Janette Devlin

The Wizard of Oz/Prof Marvel - John Kelly

Aunt Em - Sabina Ryan

Uncle Henry/Guard - Anthony Heavey

Ensemble and supporting characters

Avril Brennan, Lyndsay Considine, Franz Rupprecht, Jack Oates, Anna Matea, Megan Shortt, Kayla Gray, Megan Gorman, Katie Warnock, Mollymai Fitzgearld, Margel Tuyogon, Laura Hayden, Katie Hayden, Ashling Coogan, Dearbhla Gannon, Rebecca Banet, Tara O’Sullivan, Gráinne Daly, Bláthnaid Daly, Niamh Ni hAodha, Kate Lyons, Patricia Hudson, Sergi Madden, Lauren Cox, Keira Nelson, Caoilainn Bushell, Derfhinn Bushell, Carolanne O’Brien, Grace White, Caroline Gavigan, Samantha McHale, Mark Wijas, Molly O'Grady-Mulryan, Alice Farrell, Evelina Orlovaite and Brendan Duke

Off stage Chorus

Josie Canning, Dermot Deely, Lorcan Gearty, Namitha Gearty, Thérèse Hawkins, Laura Ledwith, Michèle McAuliffe, Corrinne McCormack-Bushell, Breen McGee, Catherine Molloy, Andrew Reynolds, Pauline Sheil, Stephanie Shiel, Margaret Thompson and Roger Timlin

The principal characters in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ staged by St. Mel’s Musical Society in the Temperance Hall back in 1993. 

Dorothy - Liz Leavy

Scarecrow - Ronan Collier

Tin Man - Jim McDonald

The Cowardly Lion - Benny O'Brien

The Wizard - John Kelly

Wicked Witch - Peggy Nolan

Sorceress - Margaret Walsh