Local actors were all smiles last week as they prepared for a dress rehearsal in the Sumner High School Performing Arts Center.
The group of children, teenagers and adults spent some time refining their lines and stage directions for the premiere of “The Wizard of Oz,” put together by Sumner’s new nonprofit acting group, ManeStage Theatre Company.
Even when Connor Hagen, who plays the Scarecrow, forgot a line for the second time, the entire room bursted out laughing together. The mood was contagious.
Sumner High School student Dani Van Slyke, who plays the role of Dorothy, said this is her first lead in a show. In her Dorothy costume, she was the spitting image of the young woman who travels to the magical world of Oz with her dog Toto.
“I’m very excited,” Van Slyke said.
ManeStage Theatre Company made its debut with “The Wizard of Oz” on Feb. 8, and continues performances this weekend through Feb. 17. Company owner, director and choreographer Brenda Henson chose the play for its premiere because it interests all kinds of people.
“I think it appeals to all ages and both genders,” said Henson, who has been involved in the theater business since she was 4 years old.
It’s a family pursuit, she said. Henson’s father, who is operating the sound for the production, works at Disneyland as a sound technician; her mother is the office manager for a nonprofit theater company and her brother is a lighting designer. Henson formerly ran another community theater in southern California before she moved to Washington.
Henson and her husband moved from Los Angeles to Sumner almost two years ago in search of less expensive homes and a shorter commute. They found Sumner, and have enjoyed plenty of community support in starting up their theater company. Henson’s husband, Jay, currently works for the Sumner School District as the Performing Arts Center director.
Though ManeStage doesn’t have its own facility yet, Henson is grateful that local churches have offered rehearsal space for free, and that the Performing Arts Center is available for rent.
The theater company owner hopes her nonprofit group will become known for professional, family-friendly entertainment. Community members who attend “The Wizard of Oz” will be encouraged to fill out a survey to help ManeStage serve them better.
As Henson, her husband and other production members set up last Thursday’s rehearsal, they faced a few minor setbacks, but Henson wasn’t fazed — she’s been doing this for years, she said, and everything always comes together.
“It’s a lot of work but it definitely pays off,” she said.
ManeStage will host auditions for its next play, “Cinderella,” on March 10 and 11 from 6-9 p.m. at the Sumner High School Performing Arts Center. Children must be at least six years old to audition. The production will be performed in May.
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