AFNorth Students Bring The Wizard of Oz to Life Through Student-Led Theater
BRUNSSUM, Netherlands — There was no place like home in the theater as students from AFNorth Middle High School’s Drama Club, joined by students from international school partners, presented a full production of The Wizard of Oz in December.
The large-scale musical was powered by an exceptional student-led production team. Students managed sound effects to simulate cyclones, designed lighting to illuminate rainbows, and coordinated personal head-worn microphones to ensure every performance — from Munchkins to Flying Monkeys — could be clearly heard. While adults provided guidance with design and set construction, students led stage management and technical operations throughout the production.
Student theater technicians orchestrated complex scene changes, managed flying set pieces, and executed detailed cues within the school’s cafetorium — a challenging performance space for a show of this scale. Their work included maneuvering a hot-air balloon effect to return Dorothy to Kansas and coordinating props and set movements for seamless transitions.
Parent volunteer Mike Woodmansee praised the students’ leadership and professionalism throughout the process.
“As a parent volunteer helping with sets and props, the student stage manager continually impressed me with her ability to organize and lead her peers, displaying wisdom and poise as she ensured all actors, stage crew, and adults like me were hitting our marks,” Woodmansee said.
Students also played a central role in costume, hair, and makeup design. While many costumes were reused from previous productions, a student seamstress created custom pieces — including specialized pouches for microphone packs worn under costumes. Makeup design and application were also student-led, bringing characters like the Tin Man to life with creativity and precision.
On stage, a cast of more than 35 students learned music, choreography, and lines in approximately six weeks. Many performers took on multiple roles, transitioning between characters throughout the show. The cast worked under the leadership of student stage managers and a directing team led by AFNorth Music Director Shelley Brobst.
“The performing arts provide students the opportunity to develop skills that help them cultivate and express their points of view within a safe collaboration,” Brobst said. “These skills serve our DoDEA students well beyond a performance and into life, where having a voice — and knowing when and how to use it — is essential. I am incredibly proud of these kids.”
For military-connected students, building a sense of home can be an ongoing journey. Through collaboration, creativity, and shared purpose, the AFNorth production of The Wizard of Oz offered students more than a theatrical experience — it created a community where teamwork and belonging took center stage.
