Local Youth Find Oz in annual Playmakers Performance

Published: April 08, 2013 | Read Time: 1 minutes

The students of the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Playmakers program have been hard at work on their upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz and are now ready to show it off at several school productions, as well as public performances set to run April 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Randall L. Jones Theatre.

This group of over seventy Iron County students, together with their leaders from the Festival’s education department, has put together what promises to be an imaginative and wondrous amateur production for schoolmates and community members alike.

“Taking our students and audiences over the rainbow to Oz is no small task,” said Festival Associate Education Director Josh Stavros. “We have to balance ideas and expectations we have from the film — which is amazing — and still create a show that feels fresh and exciting.”

Fly over the rainbow to the wonderful world of Oz with the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s production of The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. After a tornado sweeps Dorothy from her Kansas home, she must follow the yellow brick road with her memorable friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and Toto, on a quest to find heart, courage, brains and, most importantly, home. Popular songs include Somewhere Over the Rainbow, We’re Off To See the Wizard, and Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead. 

“This production is exciting and imaginative,” said Festival Education Director Michael Bahr. “These youth performers are fantastic, and I couldn't be more proud of the production. Audiences of all ages will love this trip down the yellow brick road.” 

Tickets are general admission and are $5 for children and students, and $8 for adults. They can be purchased at the Randall Theatre box office, by calling 435-586-7878, or online at bard.org.

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