The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz
Boulder Dinner Theater
Boulder, CO
May 18 - August 31, 2013

Musical don't get much more beloved than The Wizard of Oz, but clearly it's a challenge to stage. How does one take live actors from sepia Kansas to colorful Oz? How do you create a tornado on stage? And can you cast an actress who won't make the audience wish for Judy Garland? 

Boulder Dinner Theater proved to be up for the task. Their Dorothy held her own on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and never lost the innocent charm we love. Her friends were equally endearing. Even Toto, played by a real dog, brought a touch of believability to the show. The Wicked Witch is much more glamorous than we remember, but it's a fun new twist on the character.

The staging was fun. We had to go through many set changes, but they were accomplished quickly with little disruption to the action. The tornado was an entertaining acrobatic act which, while not really like a tornado at all, was at least fun to watch.

I was happy to see "The Jitterbug" added back into Act Two. The song was cut from the MGM movie but it adds a fresh song to a show that most of the audience knows by heart.

There is little new or surprising about The Wizard of Oz, but that's what we love about it. It's comfort food for the soul.