Lower Macungie Middle School Theatre students are gearing up to delight audiences with a spring musical presentation of “The Wiz” 7 p.m. March 14, 15 and 2 and 7 p.m. March 16. Advanced ticket sales are available on the LMMS website.

“The Wiz,” Charlie Smalls’ musical adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” originally opened in 1975. The production featured music and lyrics by Smalls and book by William F. Brown, earning eight Tony nominations, winning seven including Best Musical.

This Broadway gem is a retelling of Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in an updated family-friendly version with a mix of rock, gospel and soul music. The production follows a modern-day tale of Dorothy’s adventures throughout the land of Oz, revisiting familiar people and things making the characters come alive on stage by the cast.

Vibrant costumes are a visual delight with lively dance ensembles and fun musical selections offering the audience an upbeat and fun time while imparting important life messages throughout the performance. Musical selections include “He’s The Wizard,” “Emerald City Dance,” “Everybody Rejoice” and more.

The characters transform over the course of the scenes seeking and discovering, paralleling a journey familiar to students moving from child to young adult. A relatable search for self and finding “home.”

Ivan Felegy plays The Wiz. Describing his character, Felegy said “He pretends to be a big grand wizard granting wishes to all of Oz, but he’s really just a phony who wants to be bigger than he is out of insecurity.” Felegy adds “out of playing other characters in LMMS Theatre, I really enjoy playing this part because I get to alternate between being big and loud and being a very sentimental and quiet character.”

In his fifth show, he said he loves being in this program because he gets to meet people from all across the school in different grades and on different teams and classes he otherwise wouldn’t get to know at all.

“I get to take a break from normal school and see it in a different light doing dances and acting and singing and then I get to put it all on and be proud and show everybody,” Felegy said. He added, “I have to practice a lot of music and lines like every day but “it’s really fun at its core and I have to think a lot about not what I normally would do but as that character role.”

Felegy hopes the audience has a really good time and it’s a nice little getaway from the world for a little bit. He also hopes the audience sees valuable lessons like believing in yourself and being true to yourself.

From his experience and enjoyment of the year he may consider continuing theater in high school. He would tell students considering theater, it’s much more than worth it. It requires work but as long as you’re willing to put in that work the benefits you reap are going to be so much like meeting so many new friends and other things you wouldn’t otherwise get to do anywhere else.

“I think it really changed me because I was very introverted in elementary school; I much preferred books to people. I would talk to people, but I didn’t really have many friends. I came to theater and started meeting all kinds of people in this new middle school environment (which can be harsh for a sixth grader). It really ran my view of middle school and it’s definitely been the best experience of my life. It’s taught me a lot of lessons and I’ve made tons of friends here,” Felegy said.

Margaret Kelly plays Evillene, the wicked witch of the west. After auditions, she was happy she got this part. “I always wanted to play one of the evil characters,” Kelly said. Her activities include theater, choir, cadence and orchestra. She likes to sing and act and enjoys being in LMMS Theatre for her third show. She describes her character as “really evil; she has a bunch of slaves that work for her to try and get her slippers back from Dorothy.”

Kelly was inspired to join theater by her sister who was previously in LMMS Theatre. She agrees it was “nerve racking trying out during auditions but said once you get in there and start, you kind of drop the feeling and just express everything.” She would love to continue theater in high school.

When asked how this production varies from “The Wizard of Oz,” Kelly said, “It has different messages and it has more of the jazzy feel, different music, different songs. It takes a person from reality to this new shift of reality that is really cool with all sorts of colors and magic. It is like changing from elementary school to middle school. Dorothy likes the new environment in Oz but knows someday she has to move on from it.

“Some of the lessons characters learn include to believe in yourself and you can accomplish what you believe in. You might think you cannot do something, but you can. It’s (the show) very jazzy; it’s really awesome,” Kelly said.

Julia Gavin is part of the crew and works on building the sets and moving the sets around during the show. “It’s really cool,” Gavin said. “I’ve built some things with my grandparents, but I never built like this until I started doing set three years ago at this school. It’s always new and exciting, like each set is different it’s really cool to see all these worlds come together. We have the tech ed classes that are like that, and we get to apply what we learn in tech ed into our production.”

Gavin said you don’t have to have any skills to try out, you just need to be willing to learn and listen to other people. “It’s really about hanging out with people who know set skills and Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Colletti are very helpful even with their own jobs.

For those thinking about trying out for theater, Gavin says, “I think it’s a really great opportunity because if you want to help out and be a part of LMMS productions but you’re not sure you have the time or the willingness to be on stage you can try out for crew. It’s still amazing. You’re being creative, you’re helping with the theatrical production and you still feel like you really accomplish something. All of them, from the actors to tech to crew and set builders, they all are doing their best to make it a really good show that they want to be proud of. Everyone’s making and putting their best effort into it to make it just amazing.”

Gavin said being part of theater has helped her feel more confident in her capabilities. She comes up with an idea and it becomes feasible. It also makes her feel a part of the LMMS community. “I know things are happening here,” Gavin said.

As far as this production is concerned, she describes it as a really fun production and everyone is working to make it a fun, enjoyable and exciting experience. It’s a great story and relatable according to Gavin. “I can relate to Dorothy and anyone who feels not good enough and that you have here in middle school. As you go through the show you kind of understand and it makes you feel better.”

Natalie Iwans plays Dorothy and describes her character as “a very bubbly character. She’s close to the original Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ but she has this side to her which is very enthusiastic and adventurous. I was very excited; this was one of my dream roles of playing and I was so happy I got to play it because Dorothy teaches so many lessons. Looking back on when I watched “The Wizard of Oz” when I was a younger kid and looking from that perspective now I’m the one that can teach other younger kids watching the play.”

Iwans said in the beginning Dorothy is shown as a more closed character when she goes to Oz and meets the wizard. She opens up to a more diverse character; she is very adventurous, funny and becomes a more developed character.

Iwans tried out for theater in elementary school, but shows were canceled due to COVID-19. “Coming into LMMS Theatre, it was such a loving environment; everybody is close, it’s such a privilege to do theater here because everybody is so welcoming I couldn’t have imagined a better middle school year.”

Iwans has been singing and interested in watching films and theater shows since she was very young. “I love how I can express myself through my singing and acting and how I can reach others using my talents. I hope the audience leaves the show feeling rejoiced and thinking and learning lessons in the show and feeling very hopeful and encouraged.

“I didn’t know anybody coming into LMMS Theatre. As soon as I came, everyone was so welcoming and I found my new groove which is theater. I think it’s definitely a passion I’ve found.” After high school Iwans is hoping to go through musical theater and obtain a music degree so she can become a voice teacher and help kids do things she learned from her voice teacher. She comes from a musical family and they were very happy she got into theater. “Just trying it out, it’s such a lovely environment and you never know until you do it. Even if you don’t like it, it’s great that you tried. I go by ‘live with no regrets;’ overall, it’s sad but I’m happy I learned so many things here and I’m moving on to bigger things in life.”

In relation to the show, Iwans thinks Dorothy goes through some changes as she’s branching out, figuring out how to develop from a girl whose always at home to going out on her own and figuring out what she wants and Iwans thinks that’s so important for people coming into middle school and people watching the show. Find things you really enjoy, a great thing to learn from this play, according to Iwans.

Primary adults who have been instrumental in this production include Patrick Campbell, director; Kelly McCartney, music director; Andrew Trautmann, pit conductor; Diane Geroni, choreographer; Jenifer Trautmann, costume director; Jennifer Campbell, set director; Megan Colletti, props director and Lori Schaeffer, lift coordinator.