You already know how it starts.
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home she, along with her companions — the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, whom she meets on the way — must follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard.
You may know the story.
But you haven’t seen the show.
Director Buddy Todd and choreographer Angela Snyder will both make their Bainbridge Performing Arts debut with the upcoming holiday production of “The Wizard of Oz,” joined by returning BPA Theatre School instructor Reece Sauvé, on stage from Dec. 7 to Dec. 22, with evening shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.
The run includes a special weekday performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 and concludes with an early matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22.
A pay-what-you-can preview performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, and the opening night reception is 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.
Todd has been directing/assistant and directing/choreographing for 20 years, most recently “Charlotte’s Web” with Second Story Theatre and “Last Fall” with Fantastic Z.
Concurrent with this production, he is choreographing “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Black Box Theatre in Edmonds.
Sauvé is due to set off to new adventures following this production, but BPA officials said they are grateful for his irrepressible energy and effort to make sure that his students and cast members perform to their utmost potential when the curtain comes up.
Thrilled to re-visit the “Merry Ole Land of Oz,” Snyder is a performing and teaching artist who has worked with numerous companies on many stages all over the Pacific Northwest.
Together, the artistic trio leads a cast of BPA newcomers and returning favorites including Emily Fox, Matty McCaslin, Shane Patrick Hoffmann, Jon Payne, Grace Helmcke, Christine Salo, Peter Simpson, Sammy Orrey, Renee Messinger, Corrie Yadon, Jordyn Carrillo, Karen Bertram, Carter Wolff, Austin Smith, Brearley-Jayne Curfman, Keira Bertram, Gracie Payne, Rose Weaver, Dolly Courtway, Olivia Opalski, Cate Shelton, Kayla Cortes and Addie Beermann.
Tickets, $29 for adults, $24 for seniors, students, youth, military, and teachers, may be purchased online at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org, by phone at 206-842-8569, or in person at BPA (200 Madison Ave. North)
BPA box office hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and one hour prior to each performance.
