'Wizard of Oz' production to feature performers with disabilities

April 24--Carla Tice, director of Friday's production of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Empire Arts Center, sees a lot of parallels between people with disabilities and Dorothy's travels through Oz.

While the Cowardly Lion searches for courage, people with disabilities show courage in everything they do in their lives, she said.

"It isn't the disability that is the problem, it is often how society sees and treats people with disabilities," said Tice, L.I.S.T.E.N. Center executive director.

Self-Advocacy Solutions, North Dakota, and the L.I.S.T.E.N. Center are presenting "The Wizard of Oz: The Journey to Greatness" at 7 p.m. at the Empire. Tickets to the show are $10. People with and without disabilities will make up the cast and crew.

Self-Advocacy Solutions, North Dakota, is a statewide organization run for and by people with disabilities that aims for civil rights for people with disabilities.

The production will put a different spin on the classic "Wizard of Oz" tale. While part of the show will be based on the popular 1939 story by L. Frank Baum where Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz, the other portion will tell real-life stories of cast members.

After each scene, the cast will share these personal stories through song and dance, with stories ranging from how they found their characters to how they continue to have faith in the face of discrimination.

Actors will also pair their real-life situations with songs that reflect the storyline, such as Katy Perry's "Roar" after the performers discuss courage they've needed in their lives.

The goal is for the mashup of the "Wizard of Oz" story and performers' personal stories to provide the audience with a unique and informative evening, Tice said.

"It's not exactly the traditional 'Wizard of Oz,' but the whole storyline carries through to the end, where we find out that we had the power all along," Tice said. "It doesn't matter what your abilities are like in life or your likes and dislikes or your race, we all have something to give, and that's what we want people to see."

That message of courage is constant throughout the entire production, Tice said, including at the conclusion of the show when performers will take the stage individually to say their name and that they have the power to succeed.

"At the end of the production, we talk about how we all have the power but how sometimes we have to find it for ourselves, similar to how Dorothy does in the show."

In 2004, through a Self-Advocacy Solutions survey, people with disabilities expressed the desire to be able to do more with the performing arts. The L.I.S.T.E.N. Center ran with the idea and the two groups came together to form Performing for Change, where the love of the arts explored and a message of social change could be given.

Since then, members of the group have presented in various cities, including Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Paul and Oklahoma City.

"This allows us to give people a chance to do performing arts who are passionate about the message of social justice and change for the better of all people," Tice said.

Tice sees that overall message of comparing the journey of the "Wizard of Oz" to what people with disabilities go through on a daily basis to be the main goal of tonight's performance.

"By doing this production, we're all getting that feeling that even though sometimes we don't think we have things to offer or that it's not inside of us--but with some support and opportunity, we find out that we have it," Tice said. "And it's such a great feeling."

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