No compensation was received for this post. Media tickets provided.
There is something extraordinary and compelling about being immersed in a Broadway Musical. New and familiar stories come to life through scenic backdrops, lavish and often period costumes, and a poignant score. Combine that with skilled professionals who draw you into their world through musical and lyrical performances and the result is exciting, moving, and delightfully entertaining.
Last week, we took our children to Kids Night On Broadway at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts to see Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Wizard of Oz. This wasn’t the first time our kids had seen a Broadway show, but the experience was just as magical. While there have been numerous adaptations of L. Frank Baum’s book, this production managed to engage audiences with a fresh perspective while retaining the purity of the original story.
Dorothy, a teenager living in Kansas, feels dismissed and misunderstood. Her journey to fulfilling that void results in her being transported (via tornado) to the magical Land of Oz. Here she meets Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, each feeling inadequate, longing to fulfill their hearts’ desires. The Wizard is the one person who they believe can help, so they venture down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, encountering a number of obstacles wrought upon them by the Wicked Witch.
The Wizard of Oz is brilliantly retold and includes a nice fusion of classic and original songs. The show brings this classic story to life on-stage in a way that is engaging for audiences both young and old. The set and costumes are stunning, giving breadth and depth to the story and the characters. I personally loved the integration of lighting and dramatic effects to heighten the mood and emotion of specific scenes. While admittedly there are some elements that might be frightening for young children (i.e. The Wicked Witch and her Flying Monkeys), I felt completely comfortable bringing both my preschooler and first grader to the production. Surprisingly, they handled the production well (including these elements) and perhaps that is because we had a discussion prior to the show about some of the characters and story dynamics they would be seeing.
See The Wizard of Oz live at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts through February 23rd, 2014. Single tickets start at just $29 and can be purchased online, in-person at the box office, or via phone at 714.556.2787.
For information about the engaging, kid-friendly pre-show activities, visit my previous post!
Images: Cylla Von Tiedemann
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