By JUDY RATTNER
Village native Christina Corsaro, back home with a degree in psychology from Ithaca College, is cast as Dorothy; Diane Donoghue is slated to play the Wicked Witch (in addition to her role as the show's producer); and longtime village resident Sam Rieff will take a turn as the Wizard. Even Buddy, a 2-year-old Maltese and Yorkshire terrier mix (known as a Morkie), who is making his stage debut as Toto, calls the village home. He is owned by Tommy and Ann McClain.
"This will be the highest quotient of local people in a Guild production in the last few years, which I'm thrilled about," said director and choreographer Jon Grodeski at a rehearsal last Friday. Grodeski explained that he, too, has connections with the village, in addition to the fact that he has been director of theater at South Side Middle School for the past 17 years. "My great grandparents lived on Pine Street, off of Hempstead," he said, "and I spent all my holidays here, so it's like coming home for me.
"I was lucky that everyone came down to audition," Grodeski added. "We had a great turnout from local people."
Donoghue, a 21-year-resident of the village, said that she and Rieff are both on the Board of Directors of the Rockville Centre Guild for the Arts, and that both have been in its shows. "This is the fourth production for me," she said, counting "Cabaret," "The King and I," and "Cinderella" among the shows she has staged in recent years. This is the first time she has both performed and produced, however. Donoghue said she has played the Wicked Witch before, performing with St. Gregory's theater group in Bellerose.
"I actually have known Jon and Bill [Margiotta, the show's musical director] since I was 10," said Corsaro, who was a student of Grodeski's at the middle school. "My first show was 'Annie' for the Rockville Centre Guild. I went away to college, and I've been back for a few months. I decided to audition, and it's really great to be back in a familiar place with familiar people, performing with the Guild."
Corsaro may have been born to play Dorothy: According to her mother, she thought she was Dorothy when she was a little girl. "I had ruby red slippers, and I used to run around the house singing all the songs," Corsaro said.
"One of the benefits of living in Rockville Centre is having cultural opportunities, and the Guild has been giving Rockville Centre residents a chance to go to shows, concerts and art exhibits for 30 years," said Rieff, an attorney. "For me, performing is a chance to pursue a road not taken. I hope the residents of our village will come out to see the show and support the arts."
Performances will be Oct. 24 at 8 p.m., Oct. 25 at 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Oct. 26 at 2:30 p.m. in the auditorium of South Side Middle School, at Hillside and North Park avenues. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $16 for Guild members and seniors, and $12 for groups and students. To reserve tickets, call (516) 616-3610.
Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
