Theatre, Dance and Family Bonds

Xander Moon’s adventure in Munchkin City, in the Land of Oz, began long before he stepped into the magical world of The Wizard of Oz. Theatre has been a special part of his life ever since he fell in love with Hamilton at just six years old. “He was so little,” his mom Mandi recalled.

“But he just loved it, so I took him to see it at the Orpheum.”

That love for Hamilton sparked a journey that led him to attend four GREAT summer theatre camps, dive deeper into acting and performing, and eventually audition for The Wizard of Oz.

At just 11 years old, Xander is a kid of many talents. Beyond theatre, his hobbies include dance, anime, and baseball. If you saw him in The Wizard of Oz, you likely caught his break-dancing moves during the lively Munchkinland scene—an unforgettable moment inspired by his time with a local hip-hop dance group at Ms. Melinda’s Dance Studio. Being able to bring this unique skill to the stage made the experience even more special for Xander.

When asked about his favorite part of being in a GREAT show, Xander didn’t hesitate: “Meeting the people.” Xander’s favorite character in the play? The Munchkin Mayor. “Because she has a big soul,” he explained. And his favorite person in the cast? “Scarlett,” he said without missing a beat. Scarlett Anderson, his bonus sister, shares the stage with him in The Wizard of Oz. Performing in the show has been especially meaningful for him and Scarlett. While they’re very different kids, Mandi says,

“To have this in common is very, very sweet. I love it.”

Theatre has also strengthened bonds across their blended family. When Xander’s sister Laney played Lulu in Waitress earlier this season, the whole family showed up for as many performances as possible to cheer her on. Likewise, they all support Scarlett’s older siblings in their athletic pursuits—Scarlett plays soccer. Her brother is in football, and her sister plays basketball. This shared commitment to supporting each other’s passions, from the stage to the court and the field, creates a beautiful round-robin of encouragement.

Mandi sees clear parallels between athletics and the arts:

“When you’re in a sport, you have to eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. Theatre’s the same. It’s like, ‘Hey, you’ve got a show tomorrow, so make sure you’re rested!’ It’s all about building good habits and a healthy lifestyle.”

As GREAT’s production of The Wizard of Oz clicks its heels for the third and final weekend, we know that relationships will continue to enrich the lives of the cast and crew. As for Xander, summer camp sign-ups are just a few months away, and auditions for more GREAT shows lie just down the (yellow brick) road.