When a tornado whisks young Beth away, she suddenly finds herself in a place that feels oddly like the movie The Wizard of Oz. Just like the movie’s main character, Dorothy, Beth is from Kansas, although she’s reluctant to embrace the comparison. Longing to get back home, Beth decides to go see the powerful Wizard of Oz for help. Along the way, she encounters an anxiety-riddled lion, a sarcastic tin man, a proudly ignorant scarecrow, and a wicked witch, all parodies of their counterparts in the movie. This short one-act parody takes the classic story and turns it upside down; the famed yellow brick road leading to the Wizard has been sold to foreign investors, Glinda the Good Witch seems to have a dark side driven by annihilation, and the Wicked Witch doesn’t seem so wicked. Oz has minimal set requirements and a flexible ensemble cast, making it an ideal option for young performers and for use in class to introduce L. Frank Baum’s story.
Oz guide sections
