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'Wizard of Oz'

Madison Ruta (Dorothy), Real Carpentier (The Wizard of Oz) and Luigi (Toto). Courtesy photo.

 

'Oz' begins

Aug. 1

PUTNAM — The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut at the Bradley Playhouse invites you to journey over the rainbow and down the yellow brick road when it proudly presents “The Wizard of Oz.”  It opens Aug. 1 and runs for three weekends.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Aug.  1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 3, 10 and 17. Tickets are $21 for adults and $18 for seniors and students. The Bradley Playhouse is located at 30 Front Street (Route 44) in Putnam, CT.  All seats are reserved. Reservations may be made with a major credit card online at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or by calling 860-928-7887. 

In honor of this year’s 75th Anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz,” motion picture, theater-goers are invited to test their knowledge of The Wizard of Oz trivia. Those who answer all the questions correctly will be entered in a contest to win the book celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the film. One book will be awarded each weekend. 

The TNECT production is co-directed by Kathleen Atwood and Scott Guerin.  Jason Cork is music director and choreography is by Annette Hebard.  Flying Effects are provided by ZFX, Inc., as characters soar over the Bradley stage for the first time ever.  ZFX trained our flight controllers, Don Magrey and Mike Krauss.

Madison Ruta is Dorothy, Keith Murphy is the Cowardly Lion, Adam Leidemer appears as the Tinman and the Scarecrow is played by Roy Simmons. Linda Colangelo is the scary Wicked Witch of the West, Leah Thompson plays Glinda, the good witch, and The Wizard of Oz is Real Carpentier.  Toto is played by Luigi Voccio, a Yorkshire Terrier from Brooklyn.  

“The Wizard of Oz” was written by L. Frank Baum. The play is based upon the classical motion picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed by Warner Bros. It was adapted from the motion picture screenplay by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Music and lyrics of the MGM motion picture score are by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg.

The movie version opened in 1939 and starred Judy Garland as Dorothy.  Through the years, The Wizard of Oz has been a staple on television, making it perhaps the best known and loved film of all time.

All of your favorite characters and songs appear in the version to be staged at the Bradley.  Dorothy, Toto, Lion, Tinman, Scarecrow, witches and munchkins will all be seen in Putnam.  Just a few of the beloved songs are “Over the Rainbow,” “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard.”