Autumn Ness takes on the iconic characters of Almira Gultch and the Wicked Witch of the West in Children’s Theatre Company’s The Wizard of Oz. And she is marvelous – whether grabbing Toto, throwing fire at Scarecrow, summoning flying monkeys or gloriously melting away. We talked to her about playing villains for a primarily children’s audience, the characters’ motivation and why this play resonates with generations over time. Tickets will go fast for this experience – buy them here.
Q: You’re playing both Almira Gultch and the Wicked Witch of the West in this production. Do you see them as the same person in different worlds, or as two distinct characters connected through Dorothy’s imagination?
A: I see them as the same person, and when we leave Kansas and go to this world of technicolor in Dorothy’s imagination, the filter comes off. The Witch has all the cruelty of Gultch, and all the hated for those who don’t automatically bow to her will. The way Gultch uses the law and power in the town is the way the Witch uses her Monkeys and her Winkies.
Q: Almira Gultch is often remembered simply as “the woman who wants Toto taken away.” Do you try to humanize Gultch?
A: Oh, she’s absolutely the villain in both worlds (and clearly a cat person!). Approaching the character truthfully means finding people in the real world who have an ungenerous view of life. The Gales are a loving family, and that makes Miss Gultch crazy!
Q: What do you think motivates Gultch? Is she a Kansas Karen – purely rigid and rule-bound, or is there something deeper driving her actions?
A: The reason the script is so brilliant is because the scene with Miss Gultch isn’t more than three pages long, but we learn everything we need to know. Gultch is completely driven by money, and believes her money should allow her control of everything and everyone. She threatens a lawsuit, which the Gales can’t afford, she outright threatens to take their farm, which is their livelihood. So, she’s motivated by a belief that her money makes her superior, and control.
Q: Almira Gultch transforms into the Wicked Witch of the West in Dorothy’s imagination. How do you physically or vocally plant the seeds of that transformation?
A: That’s such a great word for it – seeds. We use the Kansas scenes to show that Miss Gultch is a little shrill in her voice, that she’s got these bony hands that are always reaching, that her eyes are sharp and mean. That way, in Dorothy’s imagination, she can become green and grotesque, and we still recognize her as this person Dorothy knows in Kansas.
Q: What are the fun (or challenging) differences between playing a grounded Kansas antagonist versus a full-blown Oz villain?
A: The challenge is to let the character grow, so it’s not one note. As fun as it would be to CHARGE on stage for the first time, and shriek, and be as rotten as you like – it would get old over the course of the show. So, we need to build in peaks and valleys, so she continues to show new layers with each scene.
Q: Is there a specific moment where the “handoff” between Gultch and the Witch feels most powerful for you?
A: I always loved in the movie how the tornado scene had that great special effect, from Gultch riding her famous bicycle, to the witch with that blowing cape on her broom. I love that in the force of nature, there’s like this chemical reaction that turns one character into another!
Q: The Wicked Witch has such an iconic voice and presence. How did you find your version without imitating what audiences may expect?
A: Funnily enough, the extreme nasal quality of the Wicked Witch is actually a very healthy way to use your voice 10 shows a week! So, thank Margaret Hamilton for handing us that great healthy sound. But once you start adding costume pieces, and actors, and you’re interacting as the character – all that voice and body language comes very naturally.
Q: Performing at Children’s Theatre Company means your audience includes many young theatergoers. How do you calibrate “scary” so it’s thrilling but not overwhelming?
A: That’s where the outside eye comes in, and Rick Dildine will know where the line is and how to stay just on top of it. Personally, I remember the monkeys being much scarier than the witch. But everything is amplified when it’s a live performance, and the kids’ emotions run very high!
Q: Is there a way to find humanity even in the Wicked Witch?
A: I think every line the witch says as she’s melting is a gem, and so revealing about her character. Remember when she says that Dorothy “destroys her beautiful wickedness.” She sees her villainy as something pure and strong. You have to admire that! And as actors, we always say, “The villain doesn’t know they’re a villain.” So, you always play your objective without commenting on it. “Oh what a world, what a world!”
Q: Why do you think The Wizard of Oz continues to resonate with new generations?
A: I think not only are the characters Dorothy meets humorous and heartfelt and endearing, but Dorothy herself is a miraculous heroine. Through everything she endures, she keeps her kindness. And she’s so no nonsense, the way she stands up to the Wizard in the end is no less of a feat than the way she stands up to the Wicked Witch. The story of an epic journey doesn’t work if you don’t have Dorothy‘s heart at the center of it.
