By Miriam Meza –
Follow the yellow brick road to downtown Aurora where you will find the Wizard of Oz, not only at the Paramount Theatre, but through programs and scavenger hunts. We have seen this Wizard of Oz theme play out throughout the Aurora downtown area and we can’t get enough of it!
If you haven’t already seen it, please watch the must-see 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, come to life at the Paramount Theatre. Prepare to be delighted by the fantastic work of the cast, the state-of-the-art production, and our community’s support for this musical.
Elizabeth Stenholm’s talent will engage you from beginning to end with her marvelous voice and vivid portrayal of Dorothy Gale. The production set will leave you amazed, and even wondering how some scenes came to life. Be prepared to be in awe the entire time as your imagination takes over. Director Amber Mak said, “As you travel to Oz today, I ask that you allow your brain to imagine beyond what your eyes see, to be open to new possibilities, that you may have the courage to be vulnerable in sharing the journey with each other.” Based on the laughs, squeals, and sighs heard in the audience, imaginations were definitely sparked.
While this musical sparks the imagination of you and your children, if you’re wondering how some of the puppets were created or maybe piqued your interest in acting, we have the right event for you. Join us at the Richard and Gina Santori Public Library of Aurora for The Wizard of Oz: Page to Stage event presented by the Paramount School of the Arts from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 8.
This ticketed event will give children ages six to 12 the opportunity to see characters and words jump from the book to life. Children can read parts of the novel with each other, make a puppet inspired by the production, learn some of the Wizard of Oz songs, and perform for their families.
Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes prior to the program at the Kiwanis Children’s Center Reference Desk at Santori. For more information call us at 630-264-4100 or visit aurora.libnet.info/events. Only a few tickets are available, so get an early start on the yellow brick road to the land of Santori.
Want to feed your imagination some more? Aurora Public Library can help you read, view, and listen to the different versions of The Wizard of Oz at any of our locations, West Branch, Santori downtown, and Eola Road Branch.
Miriam Meza is communications manager for Aurora Public Library.
