A.C.T.’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’ goes into queer overdrive & we’re living for it
A.C.T.’s The Wizard of Oz, a new adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel featuring music from the MGM film.Tony-nominated director/choreographer Sam Pinkleton turns the classic tale’s queer undertones into overt statements through a delightful heaping of camp.
Look no further than Dorothy’s (Chanel Tilghman) chosen family: A hot pink Toto akin to the Taco Bell chihuahua, a Scarecrow (Danny Scheie) looking to get stuffed, a Tin Man (Darryl V.
Jones) dressed in leather taken straight from the SF Eagle’s coat check and a Lion (Cathleen Riddley) who epitomizes queer anxiety.
Together they learn to lift each other up and find community among their chosen family.With a career spanning more than 50 years, André De Shields is theater royalty with words of wisdom for the next generation.Telling a story made famous by the 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland can be confining because there is a cult fan base to answer to.
