“The Wizard of Oz" at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse -- July 8 through September 5.
Wednesday, July 8, through Saturday, September 5
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
At Rock Island's Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse from July 8 through September 5, family audiences are invited to follow the yellow brick road toward a magical stage treat in the theatre's new production of The Wizard of Oz, a delightful stage adaptation of the L. Frank Baum tale boasting the beloved musical score from the MGM film and unforgettable songs including "If I Only Had a Brain," "Ding Dong, the Witch Is Dead," and, of course, the iconic "Over the Rainbow."
As viewers of all ages know, The Wizard of Oz finds Dorothy Gale, a young girl living on a Kansas farm with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, dreaming of escaping her mundane life. The family’s mean neighbor Miss Gulch threatens to impound Dorothy’s cherished dog Toto, so Dorothy and Toto run away. They meet up with kindly Professor Marvel, who subtly convinces Dorothy to return home. Suddenly a cyclone hits, and Dorothy and Toto, seeking shelter in the house, are transported to the Land of Oz. Shortly after arriving, Dorothy meets Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Apparently, Dorothy’s house has landed upon – and fatally stricken – the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy consequently seeks a way back home to Kansas, and sets off to see the Wizard of Oz alongside three new friends: The Scarecrow, The Tinman and the Lion. But the departed witch's malevolent sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, has other plans for our storybook heroes.
According to the U.S. Library of Congress, the legendary, 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland is the most-seen film in movie history. In 1989, it was selected by the Library of Congress as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," and the work is also one of the few films on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. The Wizard of Oz was ranked second in Variety's inaugural 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list published in 2022. Additionally, it was among the top 10 in the 2005 BFI (British Film Institute) list of "50 films to be seen by the age of 14" and is on the BFI's updated list of "50 films to be seen by the age of 15" released in May of 2020. A source of many quotes referenced in contemporary popular culture, principally "There's no place like home," the movie frequently ranks on critics' lists of the greatest films of all time.
Directing and choreographing Circa '21's new production of The Wizard of Oz is venue veteran Tony Parise, whose previous musicals for the dinner playhouse have included Smokey Joe's Cafe, A Christmas Story: The Musical, and Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver. Area Ron May, who recently directed the Black Box Theatre's and Opera Quad Cities' Master Class, serves as music director, with additional members of Parise's creative team including: associate artistic director Ashley Becher; production manager Jeremy Littlejohn; stage manager and props designer Kendall McKasson; techincal director Richard Baker; set designer and scenic artist Becky Meissen; costume designer Bradley Robert Jensen; lighting designer Nicole Blodig; sound designer Dylan Dutro; assistant stage manager and deck captain Emmett Beodeker; and executive producer (and Circa '21 owner) Dennis Hitchcock.
Making her Circa '21 debut as Dorothy Gale is Sophie Gale, with additionally iconic Wizard of Oz characters played by Adam Cerny (Scarecrow), Bobby Becher (Tin Man), Jeremy Littlejohn (Cowardly Lion), Madeline Brennan (the Wicked Witch of the West), Gillian Weatherford (Glinda and Aunt Em), Brad Hauskins (Uncle Henry), and Harold Truitt (the Wizard). Also featured in Parise's cast: Sofia Alleruzzo; Nathan Ancheta; Croix Baker; Elizabeth Browne; Marian Driscoll; Topher Elliott; Hanna Marie Felver; Samantha Ferrante; Brighton Greim; Jakob Innes; Chloe Schwab; Rachel Winter; Fulton Young; and Olivia Young. Meanwhile, two adorable pooches, Faye Faye and Bruno, will alternate performances as Toto.
The Wizard of Oz will be performed in Rock Island from July 8 through September 5, and in addition to the show's 7:30 p.m. public previews on July 8 and 9, performances will be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 5:30 p.m.; and Wednesday afternoons at 1:15 p.m. All shows will be preceded by plated meals and pre-show entertainment by the theatre's performing wait staff of Circa '21 Bootleggers, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
