Munchkins take on ‘Oz’

Young Chang

Little farmers draped in old-fashioned, appropriately Kansas-style

overalls can’t hide the fact that their tummies are round.

A 10-year-old named Anna Furman is costumed as Miss Gulch -- an

austere-looking woman in drab black garb.

Sophia Evans, just 7 years old and only 3-foot-9, trots around in a

black leotard dotted with fur. She’s eating her way through a snack pack

of vanilla pudding before rehearsal starts. The fur blotches are a

Labrador yellow. Her headband has fur ears. Her nose is colored black.

Sophia is Toto.

Two teenagers rule over this costumed madhouse that is the backstage

area of the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse. Rachel Furman, 15, and Chloe Cox,

16, are old-timers when it comes to directing a cast of kids. They did it

last summer for a musical Rachel wrote called “Sunny,” which was staged

at Newport Harbor High.

“The Wizard of Oz,” in contrast, is a breeze considering that anyone

who’s anyone in the theater world already knows the musical well enough.

From arranging who will turn pages for pianist Natalie Citro to

picking up the child who will play the Scarecrow at his home, the two

teens with theatrical ambitions have everything under control.

And sitting in the front seat with note pads on laps during a

rehearsal Wednesday, they insisted moments be repeated until it ran

completely right. They clapped in encouragement for songs well sung. They

reminded Toto repeatedly to just stick with Dorothy.

“In the end, it’s really rewarding, being able to see what you’ve

done,” Rachel said. “I really like little kids, and it’s fun teaching

them.”

With a cast of 31 kids from local schools -- most from Kaiser

Elementary -- and a technical crew of Rachel’s and Chloe’s peers from

Newport Harbor High, the two Newport Beach girls will stage “The Wizard

of Oz” through tonight with two shows.

They’ve produced, directed, choreographed and helped costume the

production all summer, doing it on a personal whim with no adult help. A

connection to the president of the playhouse got them their stage.

“It’s pretty tough having to deal with everything, hard to figure out

what little kids’ potential is,” Rachel said. “Sometimes I make up a

dance, and then I have to completely change it because the kids can’t do

it.”

Chloe said the challenge lies in getting the young cast to pay

attention. But there are benefits to being a young director, she said.

“I think you can relate to the kids more because you know how they’re

feeling,” she said. “I can be on more of the same level with the kids in

it.”

FYI

What: “Wizard of Oz”

When: 2 and 8 p.m. today

Where: Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, 611 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa

Cost: $3

Call: (949) 548-6789