Witches, a wizard and a colorful cast of characters were front and center as
the fourth-grade students in Nancy Celentano’s class performed the beloved play “The Wizard of Oz” at Academy Street Elementary School in the Bayport-Blue Point School District.
The performance came as a fitting conclusion to a literary study on the book and movie of the same name. To prepare for their theatrical debut, the class put in months of preparation studying the original classic novel by L. Frank Baum and comparing and contrasting it to the movie version.
Reading scripts during their Reader’s Theatre study, the students practiced speaking with expression and learning about the different roles in the production. With the help of some parent volunteers and their teacher, the
class crafted beautiful scenery pieces and tirelessly practiced the different musical numbers.
During their two-show debut, the students took to the stage to perform the
nearly one-hour play before audiences filled with family and friends.
