Individual Childrens Theater Script Description Page

Classic Children's Theatre Scripts and Youth Theater Plays
for Young Audiences of All Ages -
Professionally Developed and Performance Proven by
Award Winning Playwright - Michele L. Vacca
Quality stageplays created with humor and distinctive style -
Excellent for university, professional, community, school play productions
or drama / language arts-in-education programs -

You will find extensive "samples" of all versions of the
play in PDF format at the bottom of this page - these "samples" are also available in MS Word doc. format - on request.

Visit "Playlist / Descriptions" above for
Complete list of On Stage! classic stageplays and play scripts
For theatres, schools and family audiences.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

For larger groups we highly recommend our EXPANDED CAST VERSION of this Play - this version of The WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ has 40 exciting principal speaking roles, and also offers a number of options to include additional performers in non-speaking roles. The play can be performed quite successfully with a group of 30 or less - suggestions for further expansion and/or consolidation (as needed) are included with the script.

Additional characters in the EXPANDED CAST version include - a larger and much more vocal colony of Munchkins, a number of new quite comically inefficient staff members for the Wizard, and a host of new and endearingly bumbling and amusing assistants and apprentices for the Wicked Witch of the West. The EXPANDED CAST VERSION has been successfully performed numerous times since it first became available in July of 2007 and has been an enormous success for all groups who have utilized it to date.

 Approximate Playing Time: 70-80 minutes.

"School Play" or abridged version: Are you a Middle School or Junior High who needs a more compact version of this popular play? Our abridged version of this script is available for school groups who prefer a shorter performance time. Can be performed with or without an intermission. Playing time approximately 60 minutes.

General comments on expanding the cast: We are constantly amazed by the many ways creative directors and teachers find to further expand the already generous cast size of this play. It's not at all unusual for school groups to use 30 or 40 or even as many as 70+ performers. A school in Florida, to cite just one example, added more farmers to the Kansas opening, increased the number of Munchkins, added soldiers and guards in the city of Oz, used an entire field of "live" poppies, added more assistants for the Witch of the West, and even used dancers! Some groups have double-cast the principals, which is another option, and others have opted to add in a corps of flying monkeys and more "Wizardly" staff members. The possibilities are endless. We hope you'll share your ideas with us so we can pass them along to others.

Professional Touring Groups: We have a version of this script suitable for touring (abbreviated cast size and format). If interested please inquire for details.

(When ordering please specify whether you want the original full-length version, the Expanded Cast version or the abridged "School Play" version.)

There are of course, other variations of this story in "dramatic" format. Many of these versions call for huge casts, and ambitiously attempt to encompass too many elements of the wonderful story. Rather than allow Dorothy to wander aimlessly through ALL of the many twists and turns in Baum's Oz, this version focuses primarily on the major characters; their hopes, bravery, disappointments, successes, and avoids the confusion of introducing lots of brand new characters for a "one scene only" effect. Oh, yes, the Munchkins are there, but the flying monkeys are not.

In Act II, the Witch is featured more than she was in the MGM film; but this is because the audience loves the Witch! Our witch has two little sidekicks who rival the monkeys for greed, but are not as scary. This script also portrays Dorothy not so much as a poor little homesick child, but more as a child who is curious about life, and interested in learning about friendship, loyalty and self esteem. It's still the same story, but with a bit more courage, brains and heart!

The settings can be as simple or elaborate as budget dictates. The script is designed so that eight actors can play all the roles ("doubling" design is explained in the script), but is also designed so that the cast can easily be expanded to include a greater number of performers if desired.

Young Dorothy Gale finds herself whisked away to the magical Land of Oz by a Kansas cyclone. How will she ever find her way home? Wearing the magic ruby slippers, and under the kindly protection of the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy sets out to ask the Wonderful Wizard for advice. On the way, she finds both adventure and friends; the Cowardly Lion who thinks he needs courage, the Scarecrow who thinks he needs brains, and the sentimental Tin Woodsman who desperately yearns for a warm heart.

During her journey Dorothy also encounters a few obstacles, one of which is the dreaded Wicked Witch of the West! The plot thickens when Dorothy and her three friends agree to help the Wizard foil the Witch of West in exchange for brains, courage, a new heart, and a trip home to Kansas.

After another long journey and further adventures Dorothy and her friends boldly and bravely succeed in their mission by drawing upon their own resources. In doing so they triumphantly find the courage, the brains, the heart and the home for which they have been searching.

Tip: If you're looking for music to enhance your production, www.sheetmusicplus.com has a variety of formats available. They also offer discounts for many of their materials to schools and other groups.

Photo Credits: THE WONDERFUL WIZARD of OZ Publicity and Live Production Photos - Classics On Stage! (Chicago), (all photos at top and middle); Ascension Catholic School, Melbourne, FL, (bottom two photos)

You will need Adobe PDF Reader - free online - to read the sample.  If necessary, click here to download and install Adobe PDF Reader.

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