Salvage Vanguard Theater Presents BRIGHT NOW BEYOND

"The journey is the only true thing."

We are at a crossroads in the Land of Oz. Twilight. A boy named Tip receives a mysterious prophecy from a dying Queen. Tip's resulting adventure into the unknown is the heart of Bright Now Beyond, a new music theatre piece by Daniel Alexander Jones and Bobby Halvorson, presented by Salvage Vanguard Theater.

Set decades after the events of The Wizard of Oz, this Oz has lost its luster, and faces hardships brought by drought and disillusionment. Bright Now Beyond draws loosely upon L. Frank Baum's second book in the series, The Marvelous Land of Oz. A pumpkin-headed man and a wooden sawhorse are brought to life by a magical powder. General Jinjur leads a bodacious girl army to the Emerald City in revolt against the dusty Scarecrow King. The Tin Woodsman sharpens his axe and prepares to join the battle. Throughout it all, Glinda, the legendary witch, searches for a lost bit of knowledge to turn a swelling tide, as Mombi, a malevolent sorceress, races to find Tip before he learns a secret so powerful it could change the Land of Oz forever!

By turns hilarious and poignant, Bright Now Beyond is one part trunk-show and one part ritual of remembrance. The piece explores what might lie beyond the edges of the self and invites us to let go of what we know in order to move down a new path. As the Scarecrow says, "the journey is the only true thing."

Will Davis returns to Austin to direct the world premiere of Bright Now Beyond, featuring an Austin-based cast that includes Heather Hanna as Jellia Jamb, Robert Faires as the Scarecrow, Robert Pierson as the Tin Woodsman, Florinda Bryant as Mombi, Carla Nickerson as Glinda, Cami Alys as General Jinjur, Jarrett King as the Highly Magnified Woggle Bug, T.E., ensemble members Alexis Leah Scott and Nitra Gutierrez, with Jacques Colimon making his Salvage Vanguard debut as Tip. Guest artist Daniel Alexander Jones, co-creator and performer in last summer's award-winning production of JOMAMA JONES:RADIATE, returns to Austin to play the role of Jack Pumpkinhead, with a special appearance by Jomama Jones herself.

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