The Brelby Theatre Company to Present THE OZ CHRONICLES This August

The Brelby Theatre Company located in Historic Downtown Glendale, is excited to produce the third installment of their 2016 Mainstage Season. While Brelby is in the process of preparing their new venue at 7154 N 58th Dr, Glendale, AZ 85301, they are pleased to be performing The Oz Chronicles at the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts.

Written by Artistic Director, Shelby Maticic, this new imagining of the Oz world is inspired by L. Frank Baum's children's series and takes place after the original book series leaves off. "I've been a fan of the book series for decades," says playwright, Shelby Maticic. "I wanted to weave together the stories of classic characters that most audiences would recognize with some of the lesser known characters for fans of the book series."

"The Oz Chronicles balances the nostalgia and wonder of the stories that we all grew up on and the excitement of new adventure, emotional struggle, action, and surprises," says director, Brian Maticic. "This gritty and dark fairy tale shines a light on the importance of loyalty, and the pursuit of what is right." The Oz Chronicles is set in the magical world of Oz, where the emerald age of the young ruler Ozma is over, and her kingdom has been overthrown by the evil witch Mombi. Mombi has hidden a valuable tool from the people of Oz...their knowledge. With no memory of their land, the magic it held, or the peace they knew under Ozma's rule, a darkness has settled over Oz. Now in hiding, Ozma has joined forces with Dorothy, The Cowardly Lion, and several allies of Oz to organize a rebellion and restore her kingdom to its former glory. Despite their best efforts, the key to the rebellion's success may lie in a seemingly ordinary boy and girl who come from the nonmagical world outside of Oz.

"This show is unique in the way it blends literary worlds," says Megan O'Connor, who portrays the role of Mombi. "So many characters from established works of fiction that people have never had the pleasure to meet and see in action all collaborate to try and defeat a true evil."

The Oz Chronicles features returning performances by several Brelby artists including; Shelby Maticic as Ozma (Windfall, After Hours at Rosie's Pub), Megan O'Connor as Mombi (Windfall, After Hours at Rosie's Pub), Devon Mahon as The Hungry Tiger (Windfall, Fools), Luke Gomez as Smith (The Tempest, Little Shop of Horrors), Clayton Caufman as Tinker (Nonfat Soy Peppermint Mocha Latte...with Sprinkles, Sea Fairies), David Magadan as Tin Man (Windfall, Beyond Musketeers: Utopia Lost), Mat Vansen as Captain Fyter (Poseidon's Regret, Little Women), Zachary Arnold as Gryphon (Nonfat Soy Peppermint Mocha Latte...with Sprinkles, Fools), Jaren Navenma as Ervic (Postcards from the Apocalypse, Little Women), Chavez Benally as South (Angel's Alley, Sea Fairies), Kristiana Faddoul as Girl (She Kills Monsters, Little Shop of Horrors), Jessie Tully as Dorothy (Postcards from the Apocalypse), Bertha Cortes as Unicorn (The Princess and the Pirate), Kim See as Polychrome (Nonfat Soy Peppermint Mocha Latte...with Sprinkles), Jared Queen as Boy (The Tempest), Chelsea Jauregui as West (After Hours at Rosie's Pub), Anabel Olguin as Jinjur (Beyond Musketeers: Utopia Lost), Shandi Mortensen as Toodles (The 3rd Annual Miscast Concert). Artists making their Brelby stage debut include Tim McCandless as The Cowardly Lion, Ilana Lydia as Lurline, Gabriel Escudero as Bristle, Van Rockwell as Jester, Brandon Sanchez as Zeb Hugson, Sheryl Williams as Locasta, Megan Olsen as East, Maria Hailey as China Girl, and Mary-Elizabeth Gilbertson as Margaret.

This production includes onstage violence, and may not be appropriate for all children. Please contact the Brelby box office to direct inquiries about content.

The Oz Chronicles performs Aug 12-13, 18-20 @ 7:30pm, Aug 13, 14 & 20, 21 @ 3pm. Tickets are available by visiting the official web site at brelby.com. BOX OFFICE: Phone: (623) 282-2781/ Email: boxoffice@brelby.com. General admission - $25, Student/Senior/Military - $20, Child - $17 Admission to The Oz Chronicles is included in the benefits of Brelby's ShowGO subscription. For more info, visit brelby.com/showgo. The Peoria Center for the Performing Arts is located at 8355 W. Peoria Ave. Peoria, AZ 85345.

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