The Woodsman, the story of how the Tin Man came to be, made its high school premiere at Timpview High School on Monday, April 14. Many are familiar with the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, but few know his origin story.​

Written by James Ortiz and composed by Edward W. Hardy, The Woodsman tells how Nick Chopper, a mortal woodsman, becomes the Tin Man through a spell cast by the Wicked Witch of the East. The curse causes Chopper’s ax to turn against him, severing his limbs each time he uses it.​

After a four-year run, the off-Broadway production of The Woodsman concluded in 2016, with no plans for future performances. However, a 2019 reboot at Bluebarn Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, proceeded without compensating Hardy for performance rights. This incident led to restrictions on future performances. Nonetheless, Timpview director Mrs. Napierski’s persistent efforts secured Hardy’s permission, making Timpview’s production the first high school performance and the first staging since 2019.​

With a 19-member cast, director Napierski and choreographer Grace Oborn bring the Tin Man’s story to life. Though considered a play, The Woodsman is largely silent, featuring only a five-minute monologue at the beginning, a live violinist, and two songs. Despite initial skepticism about a high school performing a silent show, the actors convey the narrative through movement, whistling, grunts, humming, and puppetry, effectively telling Nick Chopper’s transformation into the Tin Man.​

Following sold-out opening nights, audience perceptions have shifted, with many finding the show unique, engaging, and entertaining, even without extensive dialogue. While it’s uncertain whether other high schools or community theaters will obtain rights to perform The Woodsman, this production offers a rare opportunity to witness a historic performance.​