Another journey to Oz

Another Journey to OZ from Dana Kerkentzes on Vimeo.

By Michael Jones
For the Tribune-Review
June 3, 2010

Dana Kerkentzes of Elizabeth Borough wasn't quite sure what would happen when she focused her video camera on a local children's production troupe for her college senior project.

What Kerkentzes found was an inspiring story that landed her 15-minute documentary, "Another Journey to Oz," in a British film festival.

The recent Westminster College graduate spent last summer following the Petite Players as they prepared an offbeat play of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Grand Theater in Elizabeth. The fact that she grew up just a few minutes away from where the group performed made the film a bit more personal.

"I wondered what these kids did and what it was like," said Kerkentzes, a 2006 graduate of East Allegheny High School. "I thought this would be a great opportunity to tell the story about kids doing something they love."

Kerkentzes, 22, immersed herself into the production and slowly introduced the video camera to the 46 school-aged performers and their parents. She spent months with the group that led to goofy moments during rehearsals.

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