There's no place like Oz! This holiday season, travel over the rainbow to a magical kingdom filled with munchkins, flying monkeys, witches, and wizards. Join four unlikely friends as
they set out to discover wisdom, compassion, courage, and the way home.
Based off the classic film, The Wizard of Oz finds Kansas farm girl Dorothy (Ronni Lee) plucked from her small-town life and transported to a fantastical kingdom where magic and mischief lie around every bend in the road. Desperate for a way to return home, Dorothy is aided by a trio of unlikely friends: Scarecrow (Sam Burns), Tin Man (Brendan Long), and a very cowardly Lion (Andrés Alcalá). Together they set off to find a powerful Wizard, while struggling to keep Dorothy, her dog Toto, and a pair of enchanted slippers out of the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West (Clara-Liis Hillier).
Featuring the classic songs from the movie, The Wizard of Oz is a perfect holiday experience for the whole family. Filled with magic and surprise, it will delight both Oz enthusiasts and those taking their first trip down the yellow brick road. Artistic Director Sarah Jane Hardy, has created a production that leaves sepia-toned nostalgia behind, and drops the audience in the middle of the adventure. Through dramatic use of immersive theater techniques, the audience will find themselves surrounded by a small army of Munchkins, lost in a mysterious forest, and cowering in the presence of Oz himself.
Says Hardy, "I wanted to retain the classic elements of the original movie. Families look to celebrate tradition during the holidays, this story is something shared across generations. Having said that, I also wanted to highlight the moments in the show that are uniquely
theatrical - more than a movie." To this end, the design team has blended the divide between the audience and the stage. This approach invites our families along on the adventure and makes for a memorable, theatrical experience.
The Wizard of Oz builds on NWCT's strong reputation for delivering imaginative and
inventive productions of well known musicals. It follows in the footsteps of 2014's Mary Poppins, which won an unprecedented nine Portland Area Musical Theater Awards and seven
Drammy Awards (including Best Production of Musical, Best Director for Hardy, and several awards for costume and design).
The Wizard of Oz is produced in part through the support of the Regional Arts and Culture Council and Work for Art, Kafoury & McDougal, the Collins Foundation, Schwabe, Williamson, & Wyatt, the Oregon Arts Commission, ZipCar, World of Smiles, and NWCT Donor
Circle Members.
ALL SHOWS Noon & 4:30 pm
DEC 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 21-23, 26,
27, 29, 30, JAN 1
NOON SHOWS ONLY
Dec. 19, 24, 31 and Jan. 2
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