STAGE REVIEW : Follow Rigby Down the Road to ‘Oz’

The memory of Judy Garland’s wistful Dorothy will forever shine, but catch the Long Beach Civic Light Opera’s captivating “Wizard of Oz” at the Terrace Theatre--those ruby-red slippers fit Cathy Rigby to perfection.

Rigby’s triumph in the company’s “Peter Pan” last year was no fluke. Her stage presence is strong, spirited and graceful. She’s a fine, athletic dancer and her rich, surprisingly big singing voice is easily up to the poignant “Over the Rainbow.”

The musical itself, under Fran Soeder’s direction, is irresistibly fresh, even though John Kane’s adaptation--originally presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company--is based entirely on the 1939 MGM movie version.

Harold Arlen’s and E. Y. Harburg’s familiar score--bouncily delivered by musical director Steven Smith--is intact, right down to the restoration of “The Jitterbug,” an eye-opener cut from the movie.

That jazzy, almost surreal number finds Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tinman and Scarecrow in the Haunted Forest, jitterbugging madly with a host of eerie insects. The dancing is splendid. (Patti Colombo did the choreography.)

Rigby gets plenty of support from the rest of the cast: Carl Packard as the Tinman, Timothy Smith as Scarecrow, Pamela Myers’ Wicked Witch, Stan Throneberry as Uncle Henry and Susan Watson, who plays Aunt Em and Glinda the Good Witch.

Michael Tucci’s Lion, with his tough-guy Bronx accent, is a comic delight. Andrew Boyer couldn’t be better as good-hearted Professor Marvel and the charlatan Wizard.

Among the Munchkins--well played here by a children’s ensemble--Michael R. Betts as the pompous Mayor is a standout.

Special effects are a juicy part of the show. In addition to sparks and smoke, Kirk R. Thatcher’s filmed sequences sizzle, including a skeletal talking Oz head and an ominous, whirling cyclone. The actors do a lot of wire work, and the sight of Dorothy and Miss Gulch whizzing through the air as the cyclone hits is an undeniable crowd-pleaser.

Paul Wonsek’s varied sets have storybook charm, but there is one anomaly: Instead of following the literal design of the rest of the production, the poppy field sequence is represented by a floral design painted on a white sheet, manipulated by black-clothed and hooded actors. It’s an abstract effect that briefly snags the smooth flow of the production.

Costumes (uncredited) are sumptuous. Brian Bailey did the evocative lighting and William A. Hennigh the sound.

Performances continue at 300 E. Ocean Blvd. through July 31, Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m., July 31 at 7 p.m., with matinees Saturdays, Sundays and next Wednesday at 2 p.m. Tickets: $10-$23.50; (213) 432-7926 and (213) 436-3661.