At the Whitefire Theatre, Erin Fitzgerald’s The Wonderful Woman of Oz deserves many show dates to open the door to the iconic original through an inspired tribute.
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 07-10-2022
I’ve always taken “The Wizard of Oz” very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I’ve spent my entire life trying to get over it — Judy Garland
(Photo by David Koff)
At the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks, Erin Fitzgerald took the audience’s breath away on Saturday night as she reimagined an American classic. In an inspired one-person show, the ultra-talented Canadian voice actress brought the brilliance out from behind the curtain. Playing every single character from the original archetypal movie version of L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel, The Wizard of Oz, she presents us with a proper tour de force.
Before delving into the vibrant performance, let’s take a moment to celebrate the ongoing existence of the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. When so many independent theatres in Los Angeles County and well beyond were led to the slaughter during and just after the pandemic, Bryan Rasmussen, artistic director and owner of the Whitefire Theatre, pivoted to keep his neighborhood treasure alive and well by embracing streaming capabilities early on. As a theatre critic who lives in the neighborhood, I want to take a moment to thank him.
A perfect example of the kind of performance that the Whitefire Theatre allows to happen is Erin Fitzgerald’s The Wonderful Woman of Oz. If you do not recognize Erin Fitzgerald, it is because you have heard her voice in animated specials, flicks, and video games.
An accomplished voice actress, she is featured in the latest update of the enormously popular Diablo video game as well as the 3D animated film of Marmaduke that stars Pete Davidson on Netflix. Indeed, her IMDB credits scroll is impressive, and if you haven’t heard the voice of Erin Fitzgerald, your kids certainly know her well.
More importantly, such a background makes her the perfect choice for a truly challenging project like The Wonderful Woman of Oz. Having done so many voices in so many contexts, she slides effortlessly back and forth between the multitude of iconic characters in the movie. Her background as a voice actress is the perfect soil for the growth of such an outstanding performance.
In other words, she fills the shoes of legends and allows the audience to reimagine a classic of their childhood. Moreover, in the future, when she can perform this tour de force in front of children, she will open the door for them to experience the original’s brilliance. Thus, Erin Fitzgerald will help keep an American tradition alive and well.
However, if you will, please recall that Erin Fitzgerald is a voice actress. Thus, there was the possibility that The Wonderful Woman of Oz could have been a static show. However, producer and director David Koff would never allow that to happen.
As the Artistic Director of Fake Radio, David Koff has a history of bringing what once was static to live on stage and beyond. Presenting old-time radio plays and scripts onstage live, Fake Radio uses improvisation, personality, and rough edges to reinvigorate what seemed lost to history. With a touch of the same panache, David Koff helps take Erin Fitzgerald’s performance to the next level of excellence.
Indeed, I am unsure Erin Fitzgerald knew what she was getting into when she brought David Koff on board. Through his direction, the physicality of the one-person show is undeniable, and it must seem like running a good half-marathon to Erin Fitzgerald. However, the show’s brilliance is brought out through the physicality as the voices come to life.
Overall, The Wonderful Woman of Oz is a perfect addition to the ongoing celebrations of the classic movie. Everyone involved in the original, from Judy Garland and Ray Bolder to Margaret Hamilton and Bert Lahr, would be thrilled to see this wonderful supplement to their genius. Ultimately, Erin Fitzgerald’s genius for voices and memorization expands an already expansive legend, adding humor and energy to an undeniable American classic.
Photos by David Koff