The Wizard of Oz
Written by L. Frank Baum
With Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Based upon the classic motion picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.
You may have been to Oz before, but never like this… Stuck on a Kansas farm with her aunt, uncle and dog Toto, Dorothy Gale wishes for a better and more exciting life. When a twister hits, Dorothy is whisked away to the wonderful world of Oz, a fantastical place full of munchkins, a cowardly lion, a tin man with no heart, a living scarecrow … and a wicked witch that will do whatever it takes to stop Dorothy.
We absolutely dazzled you with Disney’s The Little Mermaid. We made you believe in Santa with Elf The Musical. Now we’re taking you over the rainbow in what is sure to be one of our most talked about musicals yet. Thousands of families come through our doors each holiday season, and with our two-story Christmas tree and fully-decorated lobby, you can update your cherished memory of sharing the classic movie at home to sharing it all over again live on stage at the beautiful Paramount Theatre.
The Wizard of Oz Painting Party
Did you know?
- Originally from Kansas, Director Amber Mak has performed in The Wizard of Oz eight times in her professional career, including her very first job. She’s lived in the world of Oz as a performer, and now she’s ready to recreate the world of Oz as a director.
- “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written solely to pleasure children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out,” said L. Frank Baum who published the novel in 1900 and went on to write 13 more novels about the places and people of Oz.
- From the dreariness of Kansas to the technicolor land of Oz, the 30-foot tall Paramount stage will transform and imaginatively take you over the rainbow into another fantastical world.
Opening Night
Behind the Scenes
Meet the Team
Jessica Palkovic
Ensemble, Munchkin, Jitterbug, u/s Dorothy Gale
Jessica is so excited to be teaching at The Paramount School! Jessi grew up in Peoria, IL, where her love for theatre and dance all began. Jessi studied dance with The Peoria Ballet and The Rock School for Dance Education. She also competed in the Youth American Grand Prix, an international ballet competition, in 2010 and 2011. Jessi received her collegiate musical theatre training at The Chicago College of Performing Arts and Western Illinois University. Paramount theatre credits: Cabaret(Texas, u/s Sally), The Wizard of Oz (Ensemble, u/s Dorothy) and The Producers (Ensemble). When Jessi isn’t singing and dancing, she enjoys hunting for donuts with her husband, Bobby, and cuddling with their cat, Leche. Jessi is represented by Gray Talent Group.
Elizabeth Stenholt
Dorothy Gale
previously in The Wizard of Oz
Kyle Adams *
Hunk/Scarecrow
previously in Elf and The Wizard of Oz
Carl Draper *
Hickory/Tinman
previously in Oklahoma!, Mary Poppins, A Chorus Line and My Fair Lady
Paul-Jordan Jansen *
Zeke/Cowardly Lion
previously in The Wizard of Oz and Sweeney Todd
Caron Buinis
Almira Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West
previously in Cabaret, Oklahoma! and The Music Man
Gene Weygandt *
Professor Chester Marvel/Wizard of Oz
previously in Little Shop of Horrors, The Wizard of Oz, and Annie
Emily Agy *
Ensemble, Mayor, Tree
previously in Elf
Anastasia Arnold
Ensemble, Munchkin, Jitterbug
making Paramount Theatre debut
Anna Brockman
Ensemble, Munchkin, Jitterbug
previously in The Wizard of Oz
Danielle Davila *
Ensemble, Swing
previously in Legally Blonde, Elf and The Little Mermaid
Audrey Edwards
Lullaby League
making Paramount Theatre debut
Allyson Graves *
Ensemble, Munchkin, Tree, Jitterbug
previously in The Wizard of Oz, Elf, The Little Mermaid, Mamma Mia!, West Side Story, Hairspray, Oklahoma! and Mary Poppins
Elyssa Hall
Lullaby League
making Paramount Theatre debut
Rodney L. Jones III
Lollipop Guild
making Paramount Theatre debut
Christopher Kelley *
Ensemble, Munchkin, Winkie, Jitterbug, u/s Hickory/Tinman
previously in Cinderella, Kinky Boots, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Producers and The Wizard of Oz
Sebastian Merlo
Lollipop Guild
making Paramount Theatre debut
Maria Montero
Ensemble, Munchkin
previously in Legally Blonde
Leah Morrow *
Ensemble, Coroner, Tree, u/s Aunt Em/Glinda, u/s Almira Gulch/Wicked Witch
making Paramount Theatre debut
Steve O’Connell *
Uncle Henry/Emerald City Guard, u/s Professor Marvel/Wizard
previously in Mamma Mia!
Nich O’Neil
Ensemble, Munchkin, Nikko
previously in Newsies and The Wizard of Oz
Jessica Palkovic
Ensemble, Munchkin, Jitterbug, u/s Dorothy Gale
previously in The Wizard of Oz and Cabaret
Peter Sipla
Ensemble, Crow, Winkie General, u/s Zeke/Lion, u/s Uncle Henry/Emerald City Guard
previously in Miss Saigon
Anthony Sullivan Jr. *
Ensemble, Crow, Winkie, Jitterbug, Dance Captain, u/s Nikko
previously in The Producers, The Wizard of Oz, Legally Blonde, The Little Mermaid and West Side Story
Trey Thompson
Lollipop Guild
making Paramount Theatre debut
Aaron Umsted *
Ensemble, Munchkin, Winkie, Jitterbug, u/s Hunk/Scarecrow
previously in Legally Blonde, Cabaret and West Side Story
Charles Emery Ward
Ensemble, Swing
Previously in Beauty and the Beast, Elf and The Little Mermaid
J Tyler Whitmer *
Ensemble, Crow, Winkie
previously in The Producers, The Wizard of Oz, Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Elf, The Little Mermaid, Oklahoma! and Miss Saigon
Travis Austin Wright *
Ensemble, Munchkin, Winkie, Jitterbug
previously in The Secret of My Success, Newsies and The Wizard of Oz
Nessa
Toto
making Paramount Theatre debut
Nigel
u/s Toto
making Paramount Theatre debut
Artistic Team
Kory Danielson
Music Director & Conductor
Kevin Depinet †
Co-Scenic Designer
Christopher Rhoton
Co-Scenic Designer
Theresa Ham †
Costume Designer
Greg Hofmann †
Lighting Designer
Kevan Loney
Projection Designer
Adam Rosenthal
Sound Designer
Katie Cordts
Wig, Hair & Makeup Designer
Jesse Mooney-Bullock
Puppetry Designer
Ethan Deppe
Electronic Music Designer
Matt Aument
Orchestrator
Susan Gosdick
Dialect Coach
Jinni Pike *
Stage Manager
Kelly Montgomery *
Assistant Stage Manager
Megan E. Farley *
Associate Director & Associate Choreographer
Charlotte Rivard-Hoster
Assistant Music Director & Associate Conductor
* indicates member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA)
† indicates member of United Scenic Artists (USA)
‡ indicates member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)
AND THE NOMINees ARE…
Production – Musical – Large
Performer In A Principal Role – Musical
Blake Hammond (Max Bialystock) – The Producers
Jake Morrissy (Leo Bloom) – The Producers
Director – Musical – Large
Jim Corti – The Producers
Amber Mak – The Wizard of Oz
Scenic Design – Large
William Boles – The Producers
Kevin Depinet and Christopher Rhoton – The Wizard of Oz
Costume Design – Large
Theresa Ham – The Wizard of Oz
Jordan Ross – The Producers
Sound Design – Large
Adam Rosenthal – The Wizard of Oz
Lighting Design – Large
Greg Hofmann – The Wizard of Oz
Jesse Klug – The Producers
Choreography
Brenda Didier – The Producers
Music Direction
Tom Vendafreddo – The Producers
Projection Design
Kevan Loney – The Wizard of Oz
in the news:
Back in 1939, lyricist Yip Harburg and composer Harold Arlen open Somewhere Over the Rainbow with the line, “When all the world is a hopeless jumble…” Quite an apt description of our own times these days, wouldn’t you say? The Wizard of Oz has evolved from our childhood, an allegory of our troubles and the answers to be found within ourselves as little Dorothy Gale discovers “right in my own backyard.”
Paramount’s production of The Wizard of Oz began rehearsals yesterday with a “meet and greet” celebrating all of us being together with introductions and a few words from staff and creatives. Tim Rater’s ebullience inspired the proceedings from the start announcing our Broadway Series subscription base about to reach 40,000 this week! Practically jumping out of my skin, I welcomed and thanked the cast for the gift they are to us and for the gift they are about to give our holiday audiences in Director/Choreographer Amber Mak’s beautifully heartfelt creativity instilled into this newly-conceived production with her music and design team.
I felt so much excitement seeing them, getting this energy from them; let me tell you who they are!
Our young performers in the cast are: Audrey Edwards, Juliana Filapek and Elyssa Hall representing The Lullaby League, with Sebastian Merlo, Rodney L. Jones III and Trey Thompson who represent The Lollipop Guild!
Our singing, dancing, puppeteering triple threat ensemble is Emily Agy, Anastasia Arnold, Anna Brockman, Danielle Davila, Allyson Graves, Christopher Kelley, Maria Montero, Leah Morrow, Steve O’Connell, Nich O’Neil, Jessica Palkovic, Peter Sipla, Anthony Sullivan Jr, Aaron Umsted, Charlie Ward, J Tyler Whitmer and Travis Austin Wright.
And the fun doesn’t end there! Gene Weygandt, Daddy Warbucks from Paramount’s Annie returns as The Wizard, last season’s Buddy The Elf, Kyle Adams, returns as Scarecrow, Carl Draper our Will Parker from Oklahoma! returns as Tin Man, and Jeff Winner as our Sweeney Todd Paul-Jordan Jansen returns as the Cowardly Lion! Add to that our Oklahoma!‘s Aunt Eller, Caron Buinis is The Wicked Witch, and from our Sweeney Todd ensemble, Harriet Nzinga Plumpp is Glinda, The Good Witch!
Completing the cast of 30, including 13 Paramount debuts, is today’s grand finale here announcing golden voiced Elizabeth Stenholt as Dorothy Gale. Young Stenholt played Wendy in Chicago Shakes’ Peter Pan last summer directed by Amber, and you won’t want to miss this rising star’s ascent here at Paramount in Ms. Mak’s beautiful new production! Whoa! I almost forgot our double cast pups in the role of Toto! Our rescue dogs from William Berloni Theatrical Animals in the charge of handler Andy Hudson, cute, little Nigel and Nessa! So loved meeting them!
Legally Blonde closes Sunday, and I can’t urge you enough to get here and experience this incredibly sharp and funny take on the well-known Reese Witherspoon movie. I saw the 3 p.m. matinee Saturday with a friend, and I had to be careful my shirt buttons didn’t pop, so proud of every element of this production! Casey Shuler’s Elle Woods is off the charts, so well sung, as is the entire cast, orchestra, design, direction and choreography, all of it will win your heart and admiration!
“When all the world is a hopeless jumble” come see a show at Paramount!
Love and thanks,
Jim
