Friends of Dorothy will once again be traveling "Over the Rainbow" at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, April 30-May 3. Windy City Times spoke with the Scarecrow, played by Noah Aberlin, to pick his brain and hear about this production of The Wizard of Oz. ( Pictured: Noah Aberlin ( right ) is the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Photo by Michael Brosilow ) .
Windy City Times: Hello, Noah! Tell our readers about your background and what has brought you to the wonderful world of Oz.
Noah Aberlin: Sure. I am from Brooklyn, N.Y. I graduated from Syracuse University. This is my third national tour. I did a tour with The Producers and Contact, which was a strictly dance show. I just did Candide with the New York City Opera.
WCT: What attracts you to these musical projects?
NA: I started as a dancer and then did musical theater when I was in high school. I found I had a knack for it and fit in real well. The heightened emotions of theater, dancing and singing have always appealed to me in a performance.
WCT: How similar is this production to the 1939 MGM movie version?
NA: We stick very close to the movie script. We have all the same songs. There is actually a song called "The Jitterbug" which was cut out of the movie for timing issues that we have put back in. It's just before the winged monkeys come to pick Dorothy up and steal her away.
It is pretty much the movie onstage, with some theatrical elements to make it more entertaining for a live audience.
WCT: How is it different?
NA: We pick local children to play the munchkins. We have a small cast of shorter adults who are mixed in with the kids. The children are auditioned a few months before the performance. They are taught the dance, then are put in the show. They get to experience backstage life and being a professional actor. This also keeps it different in every city.
WCT: That sounds darling. Does the show run long because of all the aspects being brought back in?
NA: It runs two and a half hours, and that includes a 20-minute intermission. It's very fast-paced so it doesn't seem long.
WCT: How much do you love getting to sing the classic song "If I Only Had a Brain?"
NA: It's lots of fun—that song in particular. I have a background in gymnastics and dance, so I add that into my performance. When the choreographer and I started working on the song, I was given a lot of liberties, so we played around for a few hours to see how much I could bend.
WCT: Your character is referred to as "Hunk." What about him is a hunk?
NA: It's just one of those old time names. The three of us are Zeke, Hickory and Hunk. Those are names you don't see anymore. I don't think it means he's an actual hunk although Dorothy may have a little crush on him. I think I am a pretty attractive guy but I don't think that's why they cast me. [ Laughs ]
WCT: I read all the L. Frank Baum books growing up as a child. What do you think about the characters that make them so popular today in shows such as Wicked?
NA: The characters are just enough human and just enough fantasy to make people associate with them. They can be as much of a real person and a fictional character as the actors lets on or the audience will let them be. I relate it to the Harry Potter books of today. He is a young boy with issues but has the magic element also to deal with. In L. Frank Baum's world, the Scarecrow is just an average guy that gets picked on and is not too bright. He actually turns out to be really smart and intuitive. There are little bits and pieces that everyone can relate with.
Looking to relate to your childhood? The Wizard of Oz will be at The Chicago Theatre, located at 175 N. State. Tickets are $25-$75 each; visit www.thechicagotheatre.com or call Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212.