The Wizard of Oz at Dix Hills Performing Arts Center

The Dix Hills Performing Arts Center will present the Five Towns College Theater Department’s production of the timeless children’s classic “The Wizard of Oz,” Saturday, April 28 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and on Sunday, April 29th at noon and 3 p.m. Tickets are just $10 and are sure to go early.

Based on the ground-breaking 1939 film, the first major release to feature color, it was directed by Victor Fleming and based on the classic allegorical novel by Frank Baum. Baum, rather then penning pure fantasy, was making a contemporary political statement about U.S. economic policy in protest of moving to the gold standard rather than silver (leading Americans down a fantasy path paved in gold, that became known only for its yellow bricks in the film). 

Whether or not it was Baum’s intention to create a musical, Fleming’s film was a monster hit, often considered one of the top ten films of all time for its use of new technologies, state-of-the-art special effects and make-up, the show-stopping tune “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and ground-breaking costume artistry and scenery. The film also introduced a phenomenal new 16-year-old talent to the country, Judy Garland.

The film also included that era’s popular actors and comedians from Frank Kern as the Wizard to Judy Garland’s (Dorothy) three co-stars, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley. Despite it’s historic charm and Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton), whose most-memorable performance would later spawn the current Broadway hit “Wicked,” the film lost in it’s attempt to win the Best Picture Oscar for which it was nominated, losing out to Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer’s other blockbuster film that year, “Gone with the Wind.”

Ironically, both films soon became sought-after favorites in the new television medium that would emerge following World War II, “The Wizard of Oz” first aired in 1954, while “Gone with the Wind” would wait until Ted Turner purchased the MGM catalog.

Children world-wide have become familiar with what MGM executives once feared was too far-fetched a plot: After a tornado whisks her away to the magical land of Oz, young Kansas farm girl Dorothy Gale teams up with a Scarecrow in search of a brain, a Tin Woodsman seeking a heart, and a Cowardly Lion wishing for courage, on her journey to find a way back home.

The beloved team travel on avoiding the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West while seeking to find the mighty and great Wizard who can return Dorothy to Kansas. 

“We are excited to bring this beloved, timeless classic to life on our stage and I know that children of all ages will really enjoy this show,” said Sandy Hinden, executive director of the Center. 

All those who attend are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite “Oz’ character.