Which brings us to this week and the group at CYT-North County Coastal who are currently performing this beloved tale of wicked witches, good witches, humbug wizards, munchkins, Ozians, talking trees, and flying monkeys. Our heroine, Dorothy Gale from Kansas, is played sweetly by Lindsey Grubbs whose lovely, gentle voice takes us out of Kansas and Over the Rainbow via a psychedelic twister that promptly lands her house on the Wicked Witch of the East. This is praised by the sugary Glinda (Lauren King), A.K.A. the Good Witch of the North. The adorable little Munchkins deem Dorothy a national heroine for ridding them of their tyrant while mocking the witch’s passing with Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead. But the Wicked Witch’s sister, the creepy Wicked Witch of the West (Allison Swanson), is not nearly so fond of the newly arrived foreigner – especially when she sees Dorothy wearing her deceased sister’s magical ruby slippers!

With an enemy like that, the safest thing for Dorothy is to get back to Kansas, and the only one who might be able to swing that is the mysterious Wizard of Oz (Henry Metcalf) who lives in the Emerald City. Thus begins her trip down the Yellow Brick Road that leads her into the arms of her trio of loyal friends – Brendan Austin as the clever but brainless Scarecrow, David Gaetke as the loving but heartless Tin Man, and Dawn Powell as the brave but cowardly Lion who leads one of the best scenes with her King of the Forest. Together they help Dorothy face both the frightening Wizard (displayed over the stage as a humongous video projection of Henry Metcalf’s green-painted face) and the other greenie – the Wicked Witch of the West. Will they have the brains, heart, and courage to return Dorothy to the relative safety of Kansas???

Director Desha Crownover’s production of this classic is highlighted by some good ensemble numbers including the dancing Jitterbugs (a scene cut from the film version). Costumer Sharon Kasten has the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion imagined especially creatively – as is the costume of Zeke, the “Lion” at home in Kansas, who wears his bandana sticking out from behind his overalls like his alter-ego’s tail.