GET ready to travel down the yellow brick road when The Wizard of Oz comes to town in January.
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The Players Theatre is resurrecting MGM's original movie and bringing it into the 21st century with 20-year-old director Andrew Cockroft-Penman in the director's chair.
The young man has chosen a cast of his fellow University of New England (UNE) theatre students along with seasoned Players actors.
In this modernised version Dorothy, (UNE student but local girl Jaimee Lindley) is a young adult existing in a 21st century black and white world.
She has dreams of a life beyond the rainbow and, with her dog Toto, she is transported via cyclone to a colourful world full of imagination and endless possibilities.
One of the behind the scenes twists in the production of this show is the casting of theatre veteran Eileen Kerr as the Wicked Witch of the West.
When Cockroft-Penman was 12 years old he played the Mayor of Munchkinland in a 2005 production of the Wizard of Oz at Players, directed by Kerr. The youthful director is passionate about the theatre and is excited to bring his vision of the much-loved story to the stage.
Opening on January 10, the show promises laughter, surprises and nostalgic music which reminds us all "there's no place like home".
Fuelled with all the characters and songs generations have come to know and love, the cast will create a bold and exciting evening of live theatre while still staying true to the original story.
Vocal director Ian Castle, musical director Ben Simon and the orchestra will bring songs including Behind the Moon Beyond the Rain, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and We're off to See the Wizard to life.
Performances are at 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights and 2pm on Sundays until February 2.
Tickets are available online at www.playerstheatre.org and at the Glasshouse box office on 6581 8888.
