Don't Forget! Upcoming Oz Events
July 14-16, 2006: The International Wizard of Oz Club's Winkie Convention, Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California. Highlights include the auction and sales tables, the costume contest, and the annual Winkie Award. For more information on the convention, see the International Wizard of Oz Club's Winkie Convention page.
July 15, 2006: "A Morning in Oz,", Robert Down Elementary School, Pacific Grove, California. This Winkie Convention event, open to the public, will include Munchkin actors Margaret Pellegrini and Clarence Swenson, Robert A. Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum, Oz historian John Fricke, and a make-up demonstration by Wicked Witch of the West impersonator Kurt Raymond. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. in the schools ottertorium. Tickets will be $5 and available at the door. For more information, contact Peter Hanff through this e-mail link
July 27, 2006: The Wizard of Oz, Gusman Theater, Miami, Florida. This is the famous film version of the story, featuring Judy Garland as Dorothy — on the big screen, where it was meant to be seen! The show starts at 7:00 p.m., and is part of the Miami Film Festival's Summer Fun Film Series. For details, see http://www.miamifilmfestival.com/.
July 29, 2006: Grand Opening, The Wonderful Art of Oz exhibit, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massechusetts. A special event, sponsored by the International Wizard of Oz Club. Guest curator Michael Patrick Hearn will be there, along with pop-up artist Robert Sabuda. Events will include presentations by Hearn and Sabuda, a make your own pop-up workshop, and signings. For more details, see http://www.picturebookart.org/.
August 4-5, 2006: We're Not in South Carolina Anymore: An Oz Event, Greenville Main Library, Greenville, South Carolina. A celebration of Oz at the movies and on stage, with speakers and events celebrating The Wizard of Oz (1939), Return to Oz (1985), and Wicked. This event is free, but seating will be first come, first served. For more information, see the event website at http://www.videosforfamily.com/oztour.htm.
August 11-13, 2006: The International Wizard of Oz Club's Munhkin Convention, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Princeton, New Jersey. For more information, see the convention's website at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/munchcon/.
Opening September 27, 2006 (with previews September 7-26): Wicked, The Apollo Victoria Theartre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. It's coming to Europe at last! Idina Menzel will recreate her Tony-winning performance as Elphaba for the first few weeks. More information when it becomes avaiable, or keep a watch on http://www.wickedwestend.co.uk/.
September 15-17, 2006: Wizard of Oz Festival, Chesterton, Indiana. The town celebrates its annual Oz event. For more information, see the festival's website at http://www.wizardofozfestival.org/.
September 26-November 12, 2006: The Wiz, Mandell Weiss Theatre, La Jolla, California. A new stage production of the Tony Award-winning musical retelling of The Wizard of Oz. For details, see http://www.lajollaplayhouse.com/shows/2006season/wiz.htm.
October 6-8, 2006: The Wonderful Weekend of Oz, Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, Fayetteville, New York. Gage was not only a major figure in the Women's Suffrage movement, she was also L. Frank Baum's mother-in-law and the one who suggested that he write down the stories he'd been telling the neighborhood children. So it's no surprise that the Gage Foundation is having an Oz weekend to celebrate her son-in-law's 150th birthday this year. Events include a new documentary. For details, see the site at http://www.matildajoslyngage.org/.
October 7-8, 2006: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina. The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. Special guests will be Munchkin trumpeter Karl Slover, and child Munchkin Donna Stewart-Hardaway. Tickets are $12.50. For more information, check out http://www.emeraldmtn.com/autumn.htm.
October 20-22, 2006: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas. The town not only has an Oz museum, they're putting on an Oz festival. Munchkins, authors (including L. Frank Baum's great-grandson, Roger S. Baum), and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, see the event's website at http://www.oztoberfest.com/.
2007: The Dark Side of Oz, Australia. This new musical play, a combination of Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, and The Emerald City of Oz, debuts in Australia sometime in 2007. For more details, see the website at http://www.freewebs.com/radicalwizardry/.
April, 2007: Quadling Convention, Norman, Oklahoma. The annual convention for Oz fans in the south, particularly Oklahoma, north Texas, and other nearby environs. For more details, e-mail the convention organizer, Kevin Thomas, at this e-mail address.
May or June, 2007: Oz Fest, Chittenango, New York. L. Frank Baum's home town honors their favorite son with this annual festival. More information is coming (keep an eye on http://www.baumozmuseum.com/).
July 15, 2006: "A Morning in Oz,", Robert Down Elementary School, Pacific Grove, California. This Winkie Convention event, open to the public, will include Munchkin actors Margaret Pellegrini and Clarence Swenson, Robert A. Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum, Oz historian John Fricke, and a make-up demonstration by Wicked Witch of the West impersonator Kurt Raymond. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. in the schools ottertorium. Tickets will be $5 and available at the door. For more information, contact Peter Hanff through this e-mail link
July 27, 2006: The Wizard of Oz, Gusman Theater, Miami, Florida. This is the famous film version of the story, featuring Judy Garland as Dorothy — on the big screen, where it was meant to be seen! The show starts at 7:00 p.m., and is part of the Miami Film Festival's Summer Fun Film Series. For details, see http://www.miamifilmfestival.com/.
July 29, 2006: Grand Opening, The Wonderful Art of Oz exhibit, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, Massechusetts. A special event, sponsored by the International Wizard of Oz Club. Guest curator Michael Patrick Hearn will be there, along with pop-up artist Robert Sabuda. Events will include presentations by Hearn and Sabuda, a make your own pop-up workshop, and signings. For more details, see http://www.picturebookart.org/.
August 4-5, 2006: We're Not in South Carolina Anymore: An Oz Event, Greenville Main Library, Greenville, South Carolina. A celebration of Oz at the movies and on stage, with speakers and events celebrating The Wizard of Oz (1939), Return to Oz (1985), and Wicked. This event is free, but seating will be first come, first served. For more information, see the event website at http://www.videosforfamily.com/oztour.htm.
August 11-13, 2006: The International Wizard of Oz Club's Munhkin Convention, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Princeton, New Jersey. For more information, see the convention's website at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/munchcon/.
Opening September 27, 2006 (with previews September 7-26): Wicked, The Apollo Victoria Theartre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. It's coming to Europe at last! Idina Menzel will recreate her Tony-winning performance as Elphaba for the first few weeks. More information when it becomes avaiable, or keep a watch on http://www.wickedwestend.co.uk/.
September 15-17, 2006: Wizard of Oz Festival, Chesterton, Indiana. The town celebrates its annual Oz event. For more information, see the festival's website at http://www.wizardofozfestival.org/.
September 26-November 12, 2006: The Wiz, Mandell Weiss Theatre, La Jolla, California. A new stage production of the Tony Award-winning musical retelling of The Wizard of Oz. For details, see http://www.lajollaplayhouse.com/shows/2006season/wiz.htm.
October 6-8, 2006: The Wonderful Weekend of Oz, Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, Fayetteville, New York. Gage was not only a major figure in the Women's Suffrage movement, she was also L. Frank Baum's mother-in-law and the one who suggested that he write down the stories he'd been telling the neighborhood children. So it's no surprise that the Gage Foundation is having an Oz weekend to celebrate her son-in-law's 150th birthday this year. Events include a new documentary. For details, see the site at http://www.matildajoslyngage.org/.
October 7-8, 2006: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina. The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. Special guests will be Munchkin trumpeter Karl Slover, and child Munchkin Donna Stewart-Hardaway. Tickets are $12.50. For more information, check out http://www.emeraldmtn.com/autumn.htm.
October 20-22, 2006: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas. The town not only has an Oz museum, they're putting on an Oz festival. Munchkins, authors (including L. Frank Baum's great-grandson, Roger S. Baum), and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, see the event's website at http://www.oztoberfest.com/.
2007: The Dark Side of Oz, Australia. This new musical play, a combination of Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, and The Emerald City of Oz, debuts in Australia sometime in 2007. For more details, see the website at http://www.freewebs.com/radicalwizardry/.
April, 2007: Quadling Convention, Norman, Oklahoma. The annual convention for Oz fans in the south, particularly Oklahoma, north Texas, and other nearby environs. For more details, e-mail the convention organizer, Kevin Thomas, at this e-mail address.
May or June, 2007: Oz Fest, Chittenango, New York. L. Frank Baum's home town honors their favorite son with this annual festival. More information is coming (keep an eye on http://www.baumozmuseum.com/).
