Saranac Lake High School students rehearse “The Wizard of Oz” on Monday. The musical has been postponed until April 1-3 due to COVID-19. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Cerbone)

SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake High School’s production of The Wizard of Oz, which was scheduled to open tonight, has been postponed due to several COVID-19 exposures and positive tests among the cast.

The new dates for the production are April 1-3, Friday through Sunday. The Friday and Saturday shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday show is scheduled for 2 p.m.

At a dress rehearsal for the musical Monday evening, the day before it was postponed, students were excitedly running around in costume, as they waited for the director to call “places!” They’ve worked hard on this play and their rehearsing has paid off with vibrant performances and strong musical numbers.

Musical Director Drew Benware said, obviously, the students are disappointed by the change.

“There’s such a great emotional lead-up to opening night,” Benware said. “They were just so eager to share their work.”

He said it’s an exercise in “delayed gratification” now and a positive sign that the students are confident and excited to show their talent. With this delay, he said the entire cast should be able to be healthy and available to perform.

“It’s a good lesson in empathy,” Benware said. “I said, ‘What if you were someone in isolation? Wouldn’t you want the cast to wait for you?'”

He said now, their focus is on keeping the “spark” that lights up their performances. And he’s hopeful that two weeks from now, the virus will have receded even more.

He said Director Bonnie Brewer is adding new technical elements, so the show is growing in the hiatus. He also said the new dates allow them to add the matinee showing on Sunday.

It’s also the same weekend as the Dance Sanctuary’s Spring Recital, so Benware said they arranged the times to try to fit around those performances.

“The arts are alive and well,” Benware declared. “Sometimes, too alive. There’s an excess of riches.”

Tickets for The Wizard of Oz can be purchased at the door of the high school auditorium by check or cash only. Tickets cost $10.