Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County.   Four-year-old Chequers McFee made her stage debut with dignity and charm. Although she had a starring role in her first-ever acting performance, she appeared ready to handle whatever the director threw at her. Stage presence.

Chequers, who plays Toto, in the Peak to Peak Players production of the Wizard of Oz, is a scene stealer; the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel remains calm even in a field of munchkins, with a wicked witch cackling circles in the sky.

Not only is Chequers a newcomer to the world of acting, the show itself is the premiere opening of the fledgling production company based in Gilpin County which has been offering camps, workshops and special shows this past year.

Last week, the cast had their first total run through, rough around the edges but already sparkling with the magic of Oz. As the performers sang the songs embedded in musical history’s memory, the color and surreal world of not-Kansas anymore came into focus among the dusty stage, the half-done sets, the t-shirts and shorts. One could tell this was going to be a magnificent performance. With 36 children as the monkeys, the lollipops and the munchkins, all of them poised and talented, following the lead of Chip Smith their music director, who is aptly cast as the Lion who needs courage.

Smith leads the kids with his large voice inspiring them to give it all they’ve got.

Grace Pouliot, of Golden, is the winsome Dorothy. She played in Central City Opera’s Sound of Music as well as five other professional Colorado productions. When she sings “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, she becomes Dorothy headed down the yellow brick road. Perfectly cast, and a joy to watch and listen to, even without the red shoes.

The main characters are Gilpin residents and many of them have family who have traveled across country to be part of the Oz adventure: Angela Hunt, as the falling apart scarecrow; Crystal Zeibeck as the rusty Tin Man and whose children are in the show, and Mark Ragan as Uncle Henry, and the guard, Steve Pouliot, dad of Grace, as the Wizard and Professor Marvel as well as her mom, brother and sister are part of the ensemble.

Deborah Wolfe as Aunt Em and the mother of Scarecrow, came from West Virginia. Annie Wolfe, also from West Virginia, plays Glinda, the good witch, sister of scarecrow, played by Angela Hunt. Mother and sister came out from West Virginia to stay the summer and be in the cast as well as assist with the costume work.

Angela’s sister, Mary, is currently on America’s Got Talent as the Duo, Transend.

Director Jacquelyn O’Brien and her daughter, Archer are the stage manager team, keeping the show running smoothly while daughter Killian jumps into the world of acting.

O’Brien greeted the cast, told them the first run-through would probably be a mess but they would get through it.

“We’ve got this,” said one of the cast, as the Lollipop tune trilled across the stage.

It’s a lot of family, a lot of community kids and an infusion of professionals who are bringing Dorothy and her gang to our mountains.

In the past couple of weeks, the Players have sponsored the Seussical Junior camp, preparing young thespians for their July 28 public performance.

(Originally published in the August 2, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)