In keeping with a longtime academic achievement legacy, students in the Grades PreK-8 Fontana Joint 8 School District continue to exceed state academic achievement expectations on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s annual School Report Card, turning in an overall 75.5 score in recently-released DPI data reports.
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IN 16 PHOTOS: Fontana Elementary School presents "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition" - April 14.15, 2023
"Somewhere, over the rainbow..."
Tired of the dreary life on her guardian aunt and uncle’s farm on the “Tornado Alley” 1931 Kansas prairie, heroic and sweet-tempered orphan girl Dorothy Gale dreams for a brighter and livelier world “somewhere, over the rainbow” in the opening scene of Fontana Elementary School’s April 14-15 production of “The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition.” Eventually, young Dorothy discovers “there’s no place like home.”
Uncle Henry and Aunt Em on their Kansas farm
Working hard on their hardscrabble "Tornado Alley" Kansas farm during the Great Depression and drought-stricken Dust Bowl era in 1931, farmers Uncle Henry (Roman Vilona) and Aunt Em (Kinley Robbins) also serve as guardians for their orphan niece Dorothy Gale (not pictured) in the April 14-15 Fontana Elementary School production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition."
Miss Almira Gulch comes to take away canine Toto and have him destroyed
Strict, antagonizing neighbor Miss Almira Gulch (Ellie Clausius) arrives by bike at the Kansas farm of Uncle Henry and Aunt Em to take away orphan niece Dorothy Gale's dog, Toto, and have him destroyed. Gulch, who had hit Toto with a rake, arrives at the farm and lies that Toto bit her, announcing that she got the sheriff to give her an order to have Toto put down. Taking Toto away in a basket on her bike, Toto escapes from Gulch and runs back to Dorothy. Realizing Gulch will return for him, Dorothy and Toto run away from the farm and get swept up in a tornado, which whisks them away to the strange and magical Land of Oz, where they encounter Gulch's doppelganger, the nefarious Wicked Witch of the West, also played by Clausius.
Dorothy Gale consults with psychic reader Professor Marvel
Looking to both rescue her beloved dog Toto and also escape her dreamy life on her aunt and uncle's Kansas farm, young heroine Dorothy Gale (right, Gianna Kud) consults with psychic reader Professor Marvel (left, Alex Kudnik) in the April 14-15 Fontana Elementary School production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition."
The Mayor of Oz
The Mayor of Oz (Millie Ferretti) provides a welcome to new visitor Dorothy Gale (not pictured, Gianna Kud) upon her arrival in the Land of Oz in the April 14-15 Fontana Elementary School production of “Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition.”
"Tot Munchkins" sing and dance in Fontana Elementary School's April 14-15 production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition"
Among the denizens of the magical Land of Oz are the singing and dancing Tot Munchkins — from left, Lily Grant, Natalie Petersen and Eve Hachmeister.
Scarecrow, Tin Man and Dorothy in the April 14-15 Fontana Elementary School production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition"
As lost Kansan Dorothy Gale (right, Gianna Kud) travels the yellow brick road through the Land of Oz, she meets and makes several traveling companion friends along the way, including Scarecrow (left, Jacki Rambatt) and Tin Man (center, Cameron Cripe).
Jitterbugs swarm in
The "Jitterbug," a musical number that was cut from MGM's 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," is sometimes used in stage productions such "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition," seen staged here at Fontana Elementary School on April 14-15. The Jitterbugs — (from left) Kinley Robbins, Millie Ferretti, Lily Grant and Natalie Petersen — are used by the Wicked Witch of the West to attack Dorothy Gale and her companions at they approach her castle, just before the winged monkeys swoop in to capture Dorothy. The bites of the mosquito-like Jitterbugs cause their victims to break into a frenetic dance.
Nikko, leader of the Winged Monkeys
Nikko (Millie Ferretti) is the leader of the Wicked Witch of the West's winged monkey army in Fontana Elementary School's April 14-15 production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition."
"I'll get you my pretty — and your little dog, too!"
“I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!” — In the dark and spooky haunted forest near her castle, the Wicked Witch of the West (Millie Ferretti) threatens Scarecrow (Jacki Rambatt) and Dorothy (Gianna Kud) as they make their way along the yellow brick road through the Land of Oz to see The Wizard at Emerald City.
Things look bleak for Dorothy Gale in the dungeon of the Wicked Witch's castle as time runs out
As sand in the hourglass runs out. things look bleaks for imprisoned young heroine Dorothy Gale (Gianna Kud) as she awaits an ignominious end in the castle dungeon of the Wicked Witch of the West during the April 14-15 Fontana Elementary School production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition."
Arrival at Emerald City
Nearing the end of their long and perilous journey along the yellow brick road, having vanquished the broom-riding Wicked Witch of the West, lost Kansan Dorothy (second from left, Gianna Kud), Cowardly Lion (left, Sophia Jackson), Scarecrow (second from right, Jacki Rambatt) and Tin Man (right, Cameron Cripe) arrive at Emerald City to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz in the hopes of making their respective dreams come true.
The Wizard of Oz (Alex Cudnik) in the April 14-15, 2023 production of "The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition"
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” — Seated in the Emerald City, the highly venerated “Wizard of Oz“ (Alex Cudnik), ruler of the Land of Oz, turns out to be a rather ordinary man, a conman and circus magician from Omaha, Neb. who has been using elaborate magic tricks, props and special effects to remake himself as the “Great of Powerful Oz.”
Glinda, the Good Witch of the North
Beautiful and graceful Glinda (Kinley Robbins), the Good Witch of the North, helps guide Dorothy Gale once she arrives in the Land of Oz. Said Glinda of Dorothy’s desire to return to Kansas from Oz, “You’ve always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.”
"There's no place like home..."
After her many and sometimes harrowing adventures in the magical Land of Oz, young heroine Dorothy Gale (Gianna Kud) discovers that home back in Kansas is where the heart is as she clicks the heels of her ruby shoes three times and prepares to leave Oz's shining Emerald City: "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home!"
Dorothy awakens back in Kansas, surrounded by concerned family and friends
Following the trauma of a tornado that struck her family’s Kansas farmstead, Dorothy (seated on bed at right, Gianna Kud) awakens, surrounded by concerned family and friends in the closing scene from Fontana Elementary School’s April 14-15 run of “The Wizard of Oz: Junior Edition.” Dorothy puzzles whether her visit to the magical Land of Oz was a just a fevered dream, or was it indeed a surreal real life adventure? Pictured, from left, are Uncle Henry (standing, Roman Vilona), Aunt Em (seated at left on bed, Kinley Robbins), Hunk (Jacki Rambatt), Zeke (Sophia Jackson), Professor Marvel (Alex Cudnik) and Hickory (Cameron Cripe).
