Follow the yellow brick road to fantastic fun play as Dorothy, the silly Scarecrow, the lovable Tin Man, and the hilarious cowardly Lion begin their merry musical journey to Oz. An American institution and one of the best loved classics of all time comes to life in this touching musical tale of dreams-come-true. This original script and score has been hailed by critics and audiences of thousands alike.

Though the 1939 film was not considered a success in its day, the advent of television and subsequent “Oz” broadcasts propelled it to icon status as the story became a virtual staple of childhood. The original of this beloved tale is also rooted in childhood – the childhood of the  novel’s author, L. (Lyman) Frank Baum (1856-1919).

Young Frank grew up in a wealthy home, the privileged son of an oil baron. The family lived in luxury on a sprawling country estate his mother called “Rose Lawn.” All seemed perfect until the day Frank wandered into his father’s grain fields and began exploring. He suddenly bumped into a stranger and looked up to see a frightening figure towering over him, rigid, silent, and leering with a sinister stare. He ran home and every night for many months, Frank had the same nightmare: the stranger chased him through his father’s fields. 

Baum eventually outgrew the nightmare and became a father himself. He was loved by all who knew him and he was especially appreciated by his children because of the amazing stories he invented and masterfully told. He created a vivid fantasy kingdom for his eager young listeners and told of a happy place engulfed in green as he drew from his memories of Rose Lawn. The stranger of his youthful nightmares also reappeared in Baum’s stories – tamer and no longer threatening – as Baum realized the figure that once chased him in dreams was in reality nothing more than a scarecrow. 

And when one of his children asked the name of the wonderful kingdom, Baum’s mind raced and his eyes finally darted toward a file cabinet. He blurted out what he read on the lowermost file drawer: “O-through-Z.” And thus OZ was born! We trust you’ll enjoy returning with us today to this fanciful kingdom of Dorothy’s imagination and discover how the power of faith leads to “that special Home Beyond our hopes and dreams.”