Scugog native just loves being a real mean witch
by Blake Wolfe/The Scugog Standard

The Wizard of Oz - and having the whole experience recorded for the world to see - Scugog native Sandra McKinnon was most excited by the prospect of a little hometown recognition.
_“I can’t believe I’m being interview by the Port Perry newspaper!” exclaimed Ms. McKinnon, ecstatic at the opportunity.
_While staff at The Standard would never downplay such an experience, it is only one of several big moments for Ms. McKinnon over the last few months.
_Ms. McKinnon joined a cast of amateur actors for what would become ‘Way Off Broadway,’ a new reality TV series coming to Bravo! this February. The show, filmed in Toronto, chronicles the lives of 21 aspiring thespians as they prepare to hit the stage for a performance of The Wizard of Oz in front of a live 1,100-seat capacity audience at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall. Joining the rookie performers are several Canadian showbiz heavyweights, including director Sarina Condello, whose credits include ‘Battle of the Blades’ and choreographer Clarence Ford, who has worked with Cirque du Soleil and on numerous Hollywood films.
_This was all a surprise to Ms. McKinnon, who was under the impression she was signing up for just a regular acting class.
_“I heard about this through a friend, who put a posting on his Facebook page,” she recalled. _“I saw it and I said, ‘I’m about as amateur as you can get.’”
_After signing up and going through an initial interview, she still wasn’t convinced her efforts would be televised, thinking that the director may have had unrealistically high hopes for such a cast.
_“I thought, ‘People can talk big, but it’s often out of step with reality,’” said Ms. McKinnon of her first impression. “All I cared about was getting on stage. But after another 45-minute interview, I started to think it really could be for a TV show.’ I got a message saying I was in and, sure enough, I Googled it, and it was real! But knowing I would be on TV, it just got better and I didn’t want it to stop.”
_The show follows a core of 21 performers “from all walks of life” said Ms. McKinnon, including several GTA university students, a farmer from Sakatchewan, a dentist and a holistic nutritionist. In her brief bio, Ms. McKinnon described herself as an ‘undergraduate degree student who works in maintenance technical support at IBM.’
_Although currently an Oshawa resident, Ms. McKinnon hasn’t forgotten her Scugog roots. She even cited her early stage experience - including Christmas plays at Scugog Island United Church and R.H. Cornish Public School, as well as drama experience during her secondary school days at Port Perry High School - during the interview process for Way Off Broadway. An avid duck hunter, Ms. McKinnon even brought the crew to the north end of Scugog Island to film a segment on one of her interests that will be featured in the series.
_After reading for several parts, Ms. McKinnon landed the role of The Wicked Witch of The West, which she said was her top choice.
_“With the Wicked Witch, I already had this laugh in mind and how to portray the character,” said Ms. McKinnon. “It seemed quite acceptable to Sarina. None of my friends or family were surprised I got the role - they said, ‘You’ve found you’re calling!’”
_When the curtain was raised earlier this month, Ms. McKinnon found her self in front of hundreds, including at least one friend from her high school days in Scugog. And the show did more than just entertain.
_More than $25,000 was raised through ticket sales for director Sarina Condello’s chosen charity - Big Little Caravan of Joy, which benefits orphaned children in Africa.
_Despite being an amateur going into the show, the experience of live performance has only spurred Ms. McKinnon onto the next ‘stage’ of her acting career.
_“Had anyone asked me before if I had any aspirations of getting into theatre for a living, I’d have said no,” recalled Ms. McKinnon. “Now that I’ve done it once, where do I sign up to do it again?”
_So how did it turn out? You’ll have to watch, starting on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. Visit www.bravo.ca to confirm local broadcast times.