Dean Holt, Harriet Spencer, Reed Sigmund, and Regina Marie Williams Photo by Glen Stubbe

That's the version of The Wizard of Oz that Children's Theatre Company (CTC) has mounted to close their 2025-2026 season, and a spectacular way to close the season it is. To let us know that this production has the 1939 screen classic in mind, it begins with a series of sepia-toned projected opening titles, using a font that matches the movie's era. From here, the production does nothing but soar.

Scenic design, lighting, costumes, sound, and screen projections are ingenious, filling the stage with the imagination, wit, and majesty embedded in the tale. Projections (designed by Kylee Loera) are used to augment the live action in just the right places, such as the face of the wicked witch looming over Dorothy and her companions, the roar of the omnipotent Wizard, and most impressively, the tornado scene, melding with Reid Rejsa's sound design and Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew's lighting design to simulate the full effect of Dorothy's flight through the storm all the way to Oz. Lex Liang has designed gorgeous costumes that show originality, while not seeming to depart from the spirit of the film so many of us hold dear. Adam Koch's scenic designs evoke both the dusty Kansas prairie and the carnival colors of Oz.

Rick Dildine's direction keeps things moving right along, always giving the audience something cool to see so that even the youngest among the full house remain engrossed, and deftly monitors the tone between joyful, wistful, and frightening (perhaps for the small fry) segments. Christopher Windom's choreography is playful and spry, danced by an ensemble that looks fully immersed in the spirit of Oz. Victor Zupanc, CTC's long-time resident music director, leads eight musicians to create the robust musical tones we associate with the work.

The cast members are tailor-made for their roles. Harriet Spencer and Aniya Bostick alternate in the central role of Dorothy; at my performance, Harriet Spencer appeared. Spencer, a veteran of four previous CTC productions, has both the voice and acting chops to carry the lead. Her rendition of "Over the Rainbow" is lovely, conveying the yearning of a young, adventurous soul stifled by the hardships of her life, and her feelings that her desires don't matter to anyone. Spencer summons the spunk and confidence needed to confront the evil witch as well as the Wizard, and the tenderness to show kindness to those in need and remorse when she considers how her actions have troubled her kindly aunt.

Autumn Ness is terrific in the dual roles of Dorothy's nemesis, Almira Gultch, making her entrance riding a bicycle, and the cackling Wicked Witch of the West, both on stage and as a demonic presence in projections. Dean Holt, as Scarecrow, persuades us that he hasn't a bone in his body as he flops around the stage, and offers optimistic appeal singing "If I Only Had a Brain." Regina Marie Williams, recently the Guthrie's Lady Macbeth, demonstrates her phenomenal range as the sentimental Tinman, bringing warmth and her rich voice to a character in search of a heart. Reed Sigmund rounds out Dorothy's trio of friends as Cowardly Lion, drawing out every bit of the comic brio written into the role, with a hilarious delivery of "King of the Forest."

JoeNathan Thomas brings a slice of humanity to the role of Professor Marvel, gentle and concerned about Dorothy in spite of his life being built around a humbug, and then becomes the Wizard of Oz himself, fierce in projections as the all-knowing but not very kind wizard and, when proven to be a fraud, shows a soft, empathetic nature, not unlike Professor Marvel. Becca Claire Hart pleases in the dual roles of Dorothy's Aunt Em and Glinda the Witch of the North, especially impressing as the latter, making her entrance descending in a magic bubble, just like in the movie (and, yes, also in Wicked, though Oz did it first). Hart plays both characters with a clipped, Kansas drawl that brings an extra level of authenticity to the occasion. Riley McNutt, as both Uncle Henry and the Gatekeeper, has the least to do among the principal cast members, but he does it with aplomb.

And lest I forget the real live dog playing Toto, there are two doubling in the role, Alfie and Nessa. I don't know which one I saw, but all the entrances were on cue and Toto stayed calmly beside Dorothy for the entirety of "Over the Rainbow." Adorable! Toto's trainer is William Berloni, who trained Sandy in the original 1977 Broadway production of Annie and has amassed 32 Broadway credits since then (in 2011, Berloni was a Tony Award Honoree for Excellence in Theatre for his body of work).

There have been other stage renditions of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." In 1902, just two years after Baum's book was published, a stage extravaganza based on the book opened in Chicago. The next year it opened in New York where it played three separate Broadway engagements within two years, totaling over 400 performances–a spectacular success for its time. A stage version based on the 1939 movie popped up in 1942 at the St. Louis Muny Theatre, but it couldn't capture all of the magic seen in the movie. In 1981, Children's Theatre Company staged its own version of The Wizard of Oz with different songs and characters (Baum's book is so chock full of characters and plot, no single film or stage production has included them all).

Finally, in 1987, The Royal Shakespeare Company put the 1939 film on stage, aided by modern stage technology to create a fair replication of the movie's magic. The production was a major success for the company. In 1990 this same rendition toured the United States with legendary stars Eartha Kitt as the Wicked Witch and Mickey Rooney as the Wizard. Now, Children's Theatre Company has melded this high gloss stage version with their considerable talent and artistry–a match made in ... dare I say? ... Oz.

A final note: This version of the story adds a wee bit at the very end that gives the audience grist for a different conversation on the ride home than you might have otherwise had.

The Wizard of Oz runs through June 14, 2026, at the Children's Theater Company, 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis MN. For tickets and information, please call 612-874-0400 or visit childrenstheatre.org.

Book by L. Frank Baum, adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Festival; Music and Lyrics: Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg; Background Music: Herbert Stothart; Dance and Vocal Arrangements: Peter Howard: Original Orchestrations: Larry Wilcox; Director: Rick Dildine; Choreographer: Christopher Windom; Music Direction and Orchestrations: Victor Zupanc; Scenic Design: Adam Koch; Costume Design: Lex Liang; Lighting Design: Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew; Sound Design: Reid Rejsa; Projection Design: Kylee Loera; Animal Trainer: William Berloni; Animal Supervisor: Lara Hayhurst; Animal Handler: Landon Tate Boyle; Student Actor Coach: Alli St. John; Assistant Director: Hannah Steeblay; Assistant Choreographer: Gabrielle Dominiquee; Assistant Lighting Designer: Ellie Simonett; Stage Manager: Daniel J. Hanson; Assistant Stage Managers: Z Makila, Nate Stangerr; Stage Management Fellow: Ashley Pupo.

Cast: Aliya Bailey (ensemble), Truman Bednar (ensemble), Aniya Bostick *(Dorothy), Brody Breen (ensemble), Zhandile Chidothe (ensemble), Brendan Nelson Finn (ensemble), Charles Foster (ensemble), Becca Claire Hart (Aunt Em/ Glinda the Witch of the North), Wren Lillian Hatling (ensemble), Dean Holt (Hunk/Scarecrow), Morgan Houser (ensemble), Bradley Johnson (ensemble), Riley McNutt (Uncle Henry/Gatekeeper/ensemble), Autumn Ness (Almira Gultch/Wicked Witch of the West), Keegan Robinson (ensemble), Addica Sharbono (ensemble), Reed Sigmund (Zeke/Cowardly Lion), Harriet Spencer *(Dorothy), JoeNathan Thomas (Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz/ensemble), George Wellens (ensemble), Bella West (ensemble), Regina Marie Williams (Hickory/Tin Man), Julia Wissink (ensemble).