Behind the Curtain of Hip Hop Wiz

A Special Thanks to All the Staff

On August 26th and 27th you could drive by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Monmouth County and see neon green lights shining against the black summer sky. The posters stated, “Come see the hottest show of the summer” and “Brought to you by the team who brought you the first ever community High School Musical.” If the lights in the sky and the gigantic color posters didn’t catch your eye or entice you enough to come inside and see what kind of show this was, then the rumors of its future success probably did.

Hip Hop Wiz is an original play based on The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked. The story follows young Dorothy as she runs away from her superficial aunts who want her to find a rich boy at the Labor Day Party at the Deal Casino. She ends up getting caught up in a tornado and lands in the enchanted land of Central Park.

On the way to meet the Wonder Wiz, to see how she can get back home, she encounters a huge array of interesting creatures including: vegetables, munchkins, animals, moving tin garbage cans, three good witches, monkeys and three wicked witches. What made this play unique was that every actor in the show got a chance to shine either as an actor, singer or dancer showing the community their exceptional talents.

I’d like to take you behind the curtain, to see all the hard work and dedication people gave to the show and exactly who was involved.

From writing the script, to choosing the cast, to auditions, callbacks, dance rehearsals, singing and acting rehearsals, Playbill creation and ads, props, lighting and sound, gifts, costumes, sets, promotion and marketing, advertising, writing essays, finding rehearsal space, to booking a stage—there are so many things one must do to put on a huge production like Hip Hop Wiz and I, Morris Beyda was there every step of the way.

From the team that brought you the first ever community production of High School Musical was the slogan being heard at parties, events and gathering all over New Jersey this past summer. But who exactly was that team? I’ll tell you: Producer/Director/Costumes Marlyn Michaels, Choreographer/Play-wright Morris Beyda and Director- Marketing Freda Shalom. This time around, the team knew they had to create a show that would sell out and have a huge success like High School Musical did in summer ‘06.

There were many articles and newspaper ads written about Hip Hop Wiz but none focused on the talented staff. I would like to take this opportunity to mention all the important people involved in making this production a huge success:

Script (50 pages): Marlyn Michaels, Morris Beyda, Freda Shalom.
Direction: Marlyn Michaels, Freda Shalom.
Choreography: (24 routines) Song Selection, Playbill, Stage Manger: Morris Beyda.
Costumes (handmade): Marlyn Michaels.
Stage/Rehearsal Space: JCC of Greater Monmouth County Herbert and Evelyn Axelrod Theater.
Set: Randy Lee Hartwig.
Sound: Gerry Gironda, Concept Professional Systems.
Lighting: Bill and Todd, Music Men Productions.
Props: Morris Beyda, Marlyn Michaels, Freda Shalom.

I’ve saved the best for last—the incredibly talented cast (ranging in age from 4 to 21):
Ruby Gindi, Ruth Mazal Gindi, Salma Falah, Emma Kamagi, Francine Manopla, Fortune Sahalon, Michelle Wahba, Esther Cohen, Collette Betesh, Emily Waingort, Carole Meneshe, Jessica Saad, Shirley Dweck, Hannah Elmekies, Barbara Schwartzbard, Marielle Ades, Allison Ades, Claudia Ades, Vicky Sakal, Sally Dwek, Shirley Sutton, Elayne Gindi, Dee-Dee Shamah, Jennifer Gemmal, Patricia Jemal, Marielle Dabah, Rebecca Zagha, Vera Antebi, Janet Chrem, Adela Cojab, Jason Gindi, Jakey Kassin, Gerry Shalam, Haley Shalam, Bridgette Marcus, Sheila Matut, Joyce Dayan, Daniel Beyda, Asher Ades, Louis Ades, Cookie Chera, Dalia Chera, Rachel Beyda, Morris Beyda, Bonnie Pressman (Assistant Choreographer), Florence Nasar, Stephanie Cohen, Yvette Halawani, Esther Sissleman, Katy Haddad, Alyssa Ezon, Elianna Wasser, Rene Steinberg and Lili Burley.

It takes many people to put on a huge successful production and this article was created to say thank you to everyone who was part of this unique event.

Thanks to everyone involved for working so hard.

_______________________
Morris Beyda wrote this article to make sure that everyone involved in the play received the recognition they deserved. He is a senior at Monmouth University going for a BA in the Arts and is currently working on other shows at the JCC of Greater Monmouth.