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Meet the supporting cast of Strathclair’s Wizard of Oz

Our first article about Strathclair Drama Club’s 37th annual production introduced you to the principle characters in The Wizard of Oz, opening soon. Today’s column tells the backstory of the supporting cast.
Oz
Wizard of Oz coming soon!

Our first article about Strathclair Drama Club’s 37th annual production introduced you to the principle characters in The Wizard of Oz, opening soon. Today’s column tells the backstory of the supporting cast.

CHARLOTTE CASTLE / GLINDA THE GOOD WITCH

Charlotte has called Rivers home for the past six years. She emigrated from England, where she obtained her masters in voice and opera from Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. While living there, she was involved with the college’s operas and has performed with Buxton Festival Opera Chorus. The stay-at-home mother of two young children says it was some of her vocal students who encouraged her to audition for the production, and we are so glad she did!

CARLEA WOOTON / WICKED WITCH

Carlea is no stranger to Strathclair Drama Club; her first appearance on the Bend Theatre stage was in 1993. Daughter of drama veterans Willie and Lori Voth of Strathclair, she grew up in the theatre and is now excited to share that same opportunity with her two young children. Working in nutrition services at Shoal Lake Personal Care Home, she is acting alongside her daughter Olivia and her son James. This will be Carlea’s 21st musical in the last 26 years.

CONNOR RADCLIFFE / THE WIZARD

Connor was born and raised in Cardale, where he still lives today. Faithful patrons of the club may remember him being a Wizard in our production of Once Upon a Mattress. Fellow cast mates who were involved with that 2016 production can’t help but snicker when we think of him once again being our Wizard. Connor first joined us eight years ago; he has graced the Strathclair stage five times since then. He works at Villages United Early Learning Centre in Strathclair.

STAN RUNIONS / UNCLE HENRY

Born in Brandon, Stan moved to Rivers in 1980 when he was enrolled in Grade 1; he still lives in Rivers. For nearly a decade, he has worked as a metal fabricator at Springland Mfg, a business with workshops in both Riverdale Municipality and the RM of Oakview. Stan’s debut in Strathclair was back in 2001; 2019 will mark his 13th production.

JOANNA TOLTON / AUNT EM

Joanna is another drama club veteran. Born and raised in Newdale, she long ago moved to Brandon to be closer to her nursing career in that city. Yet, she continues to travel to her original stomping grounds to join the “family” she has in drama. Joanna has been in the last 19 of 26 productions and is thrilled to once again be a singing tree. (She was a singing tree in Strathclair’s original presentation of The Wizard of Oz in 1997.)

In total, 49 people from Strathclair, Shoal Lake, Cardale, Rapid City, Minnedosa, Rivers, Brandon, Russell, Virden and Oak River are involved in the play.

The Wizard of Oz opens April 22, tickets are now available.

Submitted by Sheila Runions of Strathclair Drama Club

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