Choices, choices, choices!

Choices are a part of life each person has to deal with. What to wear in the morning?  What’s for lunch? Or what to stream on TV, all come down to making decisions and at times, the decisions can  be extremely hard to make. 

For entertainment, most stories, movies or TV shows are pre-determined based on the script created for the production. A specific beginning, middle and end are a part of the common pre-determined storyline. What if, as a member of the audience, you were given the opportunity to decide the next steps in the story? 

The winter production of “Choose Your Own Oz” by Tommy Jamerson from the Mount Vernon High School Theatre Arts program provides the audience with the opportunity to step into the director’s seat.

Based on the classic story “The Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum, this interactive play gives participants the chance to reshape outcomes within the story. Guided by narrator prompts during the show, audience members will periodically be given the opportunity to choose what happens next during the story. For example, what if Toto, Dorothy’s beloved dog, was actually another species? Or what if Dorothy’s ruby slippers were actually clown shoes? These slight adjustments could change the dynamic of the story and lead to alternative story arcs. The final outcome could be different from the original which leads to the overall fun of this production.

Senior Mustang Johnson, who serves as the director for this production, believes the play will bring in the community and inspire them to be a part of the show. They note “with all shows audiences are always going to be a part of it - they’re always vital to it.” They believe the interaction between the audience and narrator help build the show and lead to fun unexpected storylines in the process.

As a bonus (no spoilers!) how the audience decides to make the storyline change is an added component to the overall excitement for this interactive production. 

Shows are scheduled for Friday January 20th at 7 p.m. with two options on Saturday January 21st at 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, head to the MVHS Theatre Arts website for complete details. (https://www.mvhstheatrearts.com/oz2023)

Should you have any questions regarding the MVHS Theatre Arts program, please reach out to Jessica Shaw for details.