What happens when the man behind the curtain turns out to be a bunch of kids? That’s exactly what Pine View School looks to find out this Thursday with the opening of the school’s first musical, The Wizard of Oz. Produced almost entirely by the 75 students of the Pine View Drama Club, club member make up not only the cast, but the crew as well, including directing, set design, musical score, lighting and more. “The onus was on the students to demonstrate that they really wanted to be a part of this,” said Lori Moyer, 10th grade English teacher and faculty co-sponsor of the Drama Club. “So they worked.”

Students took the reins from conception, deciding by democratic vote what play to perform, an adult only stepping in to be sure that the material selected would be suitable for the entire Pine View community, which includes elementary school students. By selecting Oz, the older students actually made a place for their younger counterparts, who will be playing the munchkins and are “completely adorable,” according to Moyer.

Working since January, near all aspects of the production have fallen under student control, while parent volunteers and faculty such as Moyer provide occasional guidance and handle the financials. In the process, Moyer said, students become mentors and learn not only their technical craft but also crucial skills in team-building and communication, including with entities outside the student body, as students dealt with ancillary issues such as advertising and feeding the crew through long hours. “It’s been an all-encompassing effort,” said Moyer. “We really pulled from many pockets of the Pine View Community.”

Starring Rachel Galindo and Grace Callahan as Dorothy, Foster Schwartz as the Cowardly Lion, Max Vitkus as the Scarecrow and Benjamin Casey as the Tin Man, the crew faces down Witch of the West Liv Brown on their way to see Oz, played by Amanda Gerulski. Gretchen Beaumier serves as student director with assistant Harris Lichtenstein and tech directors Sloan and Zayne Kolesar. The show opens at Pine View School on Thurs, Mar. 31, at 7pm for a three-night run through Sun., Apr. 2. Tickets are $10, with proceeds benefiting future productions.

“What they are going to bring to the stage this weekend is something our campus has never seen,” said Moyer. “The way they have transformed the stage is absolutely magical.”