Residents of Oz come together to save their home. Photo Courtesy of Fernando Perez
The Brelby Theatre Company in Peoria is taking audiences back in time with its original adaptation of The Oz Chronicles.
Written by Shelby Maticic and directed by Brian Maticic, The Oz Chronicles collides our favorite characters from classic tales together under the great big world of Oz.
But not everything is as it seems in Oz, and it will take courage, friendship and a love for what once was to restore Oz to its rightful glory, and bring happiness to the people who call Oz their home.
SmartFem’s very own Kristiana Faddoul landed a lead role after a two year hiatus from the stage and we couldn’t be more excited for her.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to perform again on a big stage, and to participate in one of my most favorite art forms after such a long break,” Faddoul said.
And the excitement was noticeable as Faddoul portrayed the role of “Girl,” who was later revealed to be the lovable Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
Girl has a terrifying encounter with a creature from Oz. Photo Courtesy of Fernando Perez
“It was one of those ‘like riding a bike’ sort of things. Everything was so familiar and I fell back into the swing of things.’’
Throughout the play Faddoul carried her character through an emotional transition, from escaping captivity with no memories, all the way to finding out who she and her friends really are.
One of Faddoul’s friends on the quest to restore Oz was the lovable Hungry Tiger, played by Devon Mahon.
A graduate of NAU’s theater department, Mahon’s comedic timing and never-ending appetite filled the audience with laughter and an immediate love for The Hungry Tiger.
Mahon had a cunning and witty way of sarcastically delivering an eye roll or head tilt that was small in scale, but rendered a huge reaction.
“I feel like I’m given such creative freedom to just go with my own gut and creativity to bring a new character to life,” Mahon said.
And the creativity and choices Mahon makes wins the crowd over in a big way, with people coming up to him and saying his character is their spirit animal.
“He’s mine too – loyal, hungry, and a little strange,” Mahon said.
The Hungry Tiger and his hunger pains. Photo Courtesy of Fernando Perez
Each character in The Oz Chronicles held their own, but more importantly they worked well as one unit.
Bouncing off one another, every cast member brought to the stage a unique character who both made sense individually, as well as becoming an essential piece to a much larger story that came together effortlessly.
There was no shortage of shock and awe during The Oz Chronicles, and for that The Brelby Theatre and its cast and crew should give themselves a round of applause.
