The Wizard of Oz musical is composed of many intricate parts, but without the set, there would be no Oz. 

Mrs. Joey Rickards, executive administrative assistant to the president, spends countless hours constructing and building the set pieces for NDA’s musical. 

And Mrs. Andrea Gilson, director of the show, can’t say enough about Mrs. Rickards and her contribution to the musical production.

“Joey Rickards is my rock and someone I can always count on,” said the director.  “She is integral to the success of the musical.  The amount of work she does regarding set design, set construction, and costumes is beyond impressive and I am so lucky to work with her.”

From her father Rickards learned skills like pouring concrete and laying tile. Her grandmother taught her to sew and never to wait on someone when you can do it yourself.

“I think about them both so much when I’m working with the musical, and I’m so grateful for the skills they taught me,” Rickards said. 

She first got involved in NDA’s musical in 2020, working on the costumes. For the 2022 musical, Footloose, she worked on both the set and the costumes. 

“I absolutely love working with the students and getting to know them,” Rickards said. She also truly appreciates that Mrs. Gilson, the director, gives her all the creative liberty she needs. 

Rickards has worked on several musicals, including Matilda, The Show’s Online, Footloose, The Little Mermaid, Annie, Freaky Friday and now The Wizard of Oz.

“Every year, there’s one piece that I am excited about.” Rickards said. Her favorite pieces from past sets were the boat from The Little Mermaid and Freaky Friday’s car.

Her favorite set piece this year is the fully working windmill. “It’s not the most elaborate piece, but I love it,” said Rickards.

The set takes a lot of time to build, and a team of students assists Rickards. 

“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my family! My husband and daughters stepped in to build and paint as well,” she added.

Starting from late October, Rickards has worked on the set five to seven days a week in person, but that doesn’t include the hours of designing the set. The only week she and her team had off was the week of the Academy Awards. 

The most challenging part for Rickards is having enough space to work on the scenery. “I usually spend every Saturday, Sunday and my entire Christmas break building because there isn’t enough space to work except on the stage,” she explained. 

The busy months that lead up to the musical may fly by, but all the hard work should not go unnoticed. Mrs. Rickards and her team of students are the magic that brings the show all together.  

“Collaborating with Mrs. Gilson and Mrs. Browne to bring our vision to life is incredibly rewarding,” Rickards said.