Go Beyond the Rainbow at The State Theatre with THE WIZARD OF OZ

There truly is no place like home as the greatest family musical of all time, the wonderful WIZARD OF OZ, twists its way into Easton! The entire family will be captivated as they travel down the Yellow Brick Road and beyond with Dorothy, Toto and their friends the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow in this lavish production, featuring breathtaking special effects, dazzling choreography and classic songs.

There are three trips "Over the Rainbow" with a 7:30 PM performance on Friday, January 19, 2018 and 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM performances on Saturday, January 20th. Tickets are $62 & $55 and can be purchased by visiting the State Theatre Box Office, 453 Northampton Street, Easton, by calling 1-800-999-STATE, 610-252-3132 or online at www.statetheatre.org. Sponsored by: Hotel Bethlehem, Strahman Valves, 69 WFMZ, B104, RCN, The Morning Call, and Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus. Part of The Family Fun Series Sponsored by Capital BlueCross, & Part of Butz Celebrates Broadway Performance Series.

A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, THE WIZARD OF OZ will blow you away from the moment the tornado touches down and transports you to a dazzling Oz, complete with munchkins and flying monkeys. Don't miss the chance to travel Over the Rainbow and experience this National Treasure on stage.

Leading the cast as Dorothy is KALIE KAIMANN. She previously played this role for The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. She has also performed as Bonnie in Anything Goes, Logainne in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ulla in The Producers, Millie Dilmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly! She received a Best Featured Actress in a Musical by BroadwayWorld.com for her performance as Minnie Fay.

Chris Duir will play the role of Scarecrow/Hunk. For Prather Entertainment Group he played the role of Bert in Mary Poppins and Eugene in the national tour of Grease. Regional credits include Crazy For You (Bobby Child), Damn Yankees (Smokey), The Drowsy Chaperone (George), and Singin' in the Rain (Production Tenor). He was also a singer for Celebrity Cruises and Galaxy Macau Resort.

CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL will portray Tinman/Hickory. He performed as Avram/Perchik understudy in the national tour of Fiddler on the Roof. Regionally he has performed in Funny Girl (Eddie Ryan), The Producers (Leo Bloom), The Full Monty (Jerry Lukowski), Lend Me A Tenor (Max), Steppin' Out (Geoffrey), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy Benson), and Second Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical (Wally), for which he also composed the original score.

VICTOR LEGARRETA will portray the Lion/Zeke. Victor has performed professionally in over 150 productions nationally, internationally, and on cruise ships including the recent roles of the Cop in the hilarious comedy Shear Madness, Public Enemy #1 in Anything Goes and numerous comedies for Prather Entertainment Group. Victor is also a director and has written many musical revues. He previously portrayed the Cowardly Lion at the Broadway Palm in Fort Myers, Florida.

The other leading roles will be played by: EMILY PERZAN (Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West) Regional: Velma (Chicago), Cassie (A Chorus Line), Vivian (Legally Blonde), Maureen (Rent), Rutledge (1776). KIRK LAWRENCE (Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz) Regional credits include: Clue: The Musical (Colonel Mustard), Oklahoma (Mr. Carnes), A Wonderful Life (Mr. Potter), and Sweeney Todd (Todd). He toured internationally with Julie Taymor, Steve Reich and Penny Arcade. ASHLEIGH THOMPSON (Aunt Em/Glinda) Regional: 9 to 5 (Judy), Jenny Wiley Theatre; Company (Kathy) Heritage Theatre Festival; and Oliver (Nancy), Festival 56. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory. MICHAEL WEAVER (Uncle Henry/Gatekeeper) National Tours: Fiddler on the Roof, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Regional: Shear Madness, Camelot, Sister Act, Greater Tuna, and Christmas Story.

And of course everyone wants to know who will play Toto. His name is MURPHY and he is a white Brussels Griffon/Cairn Terrier mix with scruffy fur and an adorable underbite. Murphy was rescued on February 5th, 2016 from the ASPCA in Chandler, AZ by Lizzie Webb (music director for The Wizard of Oz tour) and was immediately welcomed into the theatre world. He has been a trusty backstage companion, a pit orchestra puppy (sleeping at mom's feet while she plays piano and conducts shows) and within a few months of adoption he was onstage as Willoughby in Mary Poppins. This will be his second time playing Toto. He even has his own hashtag! #montanamurphy

Featuring the classic songs, as composed by Harold Arlen, "Over the Rainbow," "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" and "If I Only Had A Brain," along with the other beloved characters, THE WIZARD OF OZ will have the entire family captivated as they travel down the yellow brick road for an unforgettable day at the theater. For more information visit: www.wizardofoztour.com

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