Sag Harbor Teen is Off to See the Wizard

[caption id="attachment_45634" align="alignnone" width="600"] Anna Schiavoni. Richard Lewin photo.[/caption]

By Dawn Watson

Any song-and-dance person worth their salt would be thrilled to land a starring role in a musical. It’s a rare opportunity for an actor, especially when the character is a truly iconic one, such as Dorothy Gale in “The Wizard of Oz.”

[caption id="attachment_45636" align="alignleft" width="300"] The cast of the Springs Theater Company's production of "The Wizard of Oz." Richard Lewin photo.[/caption]

Anna Schiavoni is only 14 and has been acting for a relatively short period of time but the Pierson High School freshman is nonetheless proud to join the ranks of actors who have done just that. The young thespian is over the rainbow about donning her own pair of sparkly ruby slippers and trodding the boards at Guild Hall in the Springs Community Theater Company’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” this coming weekend and next.

“I really, really wanted to be Dorothy,” she said last Wednesday afternoon during a brief break between school and play rehearsal. “It’s a dream role for me.”

Playing Dorothy is not only a major feather in her cap for Ms. Schiavoni—who lives who lives in North Haven with her parents, Tommy John and Andrea, and brother, Thomas—it’s a role that really resonates with her, she says. Though the teenager is quick to admit that she loves it here on the East End, the lifelong Sag Harbor-area resident says that she identifies with her small-town character who dreams of a bigger life.

“Sometimes I feel like her,” she says. “Someday I'd like to be somewhere else. Like, cough, cough, cough, Broadway.”

Ms. Schiavoni, who reports that she has been acting “almost my entire life,” says that she definitely has dreams of pursuing a theatrical career someday. She’s off to a fine start, having been asked to tackle the part of Young Miriam at Bay Street Theater’s reading of Stephen Schwartz’s “The Prince of Egypt” during this year’s summer gala in July and the role of Kendra in the Pierson Middle School production of “13” last year, among others.

Co-starring as the Scarecrow, Jim Zay has set his sights on slightly smaller dreams for the future. The Southampton resident is content to keep it real right here in the Hamptons, he says. But, he adds, he does hope for lots and lots of audience love during the show’s two-weekend run.

“When you get that burst of applause from the audience, everything just stops,” he says of his favorite moments on stage. “You get a rush. You tingle all over. That's why you do it.”

Mr. Zay, who co-owns Hampton Blue Pools in Southampton, has been acting in local theater for the past 20 years. He got his start onstage not because of his acting abilities, he jokes, but because of his wardrobe. Due to his look, he was typecast during his initial stage forays, starting with being assigned the role of a sailor in a CTC Theater Live community production at “South Pacific” at Guild Hall approximately two decades ago.

“It was solely based on what I was wearing,” laughs Mr. Zay. “I was wearing khaki pants, black leather boots, a denim shirt and a black leather bomber jacket. Serena Seacat, the director, looked me up and down and asked ‘Can you wear that exact outfit in the play?’ I said ‘yes,’ and she said, ‘okay, show up tomorrow, we've got a part for ya.’”

Since, he’s performed in a number of roles. His favorite to date, aside from “The Wizard of Oz,” was that of the lecherous Mr. Hart in the “9 to 5” musical with the Riverhead Faculty and Community Theatre. Playing the slimy boss was fun, he says, especially because he got to act alongside Jayne Freedman, who is the Springs Community Theater Company’s co-founder, along with Barbara Mattson, and the director of this production.

The “9 to 5” experience with Ms. Freedman was enough to lead him down the yellow brick road to “Oz” with co-stars Ms. Schiavoni, Michael Horn, Jack Crimmins, Vay David, April Keough and Rich Browning. He would’ve taken any part Ms. Freedman cast him in, says Mr. Zay.

“Whatever she wanted me to do, I would’ve done it,” he reports. “Well, except Toto,” he laughs. “That would’ve been difficult.”

In all seriousness, Ms. Schiavoni is in full agreement with Mr. Zay’s attitude about being up for anything. She advises those who want to act to keep an open mind about any and all chances to better their craft.

“Go for any opportunity that comes your way,” she says, echoing her co-star, and her iconic character. “Don't be afraid to try something new.”

The Springs Community Theater Company production of “The Wizard of Oz” will stage at Guild Hall in East Hampton on Friday, November 13, at 7 p.m.; on Saturday, November 14, at 1 and 7 p.m.; and on Sunday, November 15, at 1 p.m. The production continues on Friday, November 20, at 7p.m.; Saturday, November 21, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, November 22, at 1 p.m. Tickets are general admission and $25 for adults and $15 for children and students 18 and under. Seniors pay only $20 on Saturday, November 14. For additional information, visit www.guildhall.org. For tickets, visit https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/34264 or call Barbara Mattson at (516) 658-5735.