The Emerald City will shine bright green on the UMEI stage starting this weekend as The Wizard of Oz makes its way to Leamington with six shows over the next two weekends.
The UMEI Community Players will bring the Kansas-based Gale farm to life and then transform into the colourful Munchkinland, Haunted Forest and Emerald City.
Cast and crew have been busy for several months getting much needed rehearsal time, choreography and set design in. The troop will be joined by a collection of local musicians, who’ve come together as an orchestra to provide the famous music for the production.
The beloved L. Frank Baum creation is well known among theatre lovers, and many will recognize the characters and music from the 1939 movie.
Recent LDSS graduate Emry Murray will star as Dorothy Gale, the Kansas farm girl who chases after her runaway dog Toto, only to get caught up in a twister that propels her farmhouse into a strange, wonderful and dangerous land called Oz.
This will be Emry’s first lead role, although she was also in the UMEI production of Sound of Music last year. She says she’s thrilled to be taking on such an iconic character.
“It feels a little nerve- wracking, because people imagine Dorothy from the movie and I have to put my own spin on her, but still stay true to the character,” she says. “It’s been very fun and challenging!”
Veteran actor Terry Raisbeck will take his turn as the Cowardly Lion, while Kyle Haight stars as Scarecrow and Luke Froese as the Tinman. Everyone’s favourite villain — the Wicked Witch of the West — will be played by Kimberly Schmitt.
Many other veteran and first-time actors will take the stage in this cast of 52, with more than half of them being local kids taking on the roles of munchkins. Ages range from five to 75 among all the cast members.
Rehearsals have been ongoing since October. Here, some of the munchkins practice their moves.
Photo courtesy of Sachiko Photography
Music Director Alyssa Epp says they’ve been at it since last fall and all the hard work is ready to pay off as they enter tech week.
“Tech week’s been going very well,” she says. “There are so many moving set pieces, along with lighting cues, sound cues, makeup and costumes all coming together on stage.”
Epp says that auditions for the beloved story were held in September 2025, with rehearsals gearing up right after Thanksgiving.
The production is directed by Jill Suta with Nick Driedger in the Technical Director role and Epp making all of that great Wizard of Oz music come to life.
The UMEI Community Players production of The Wizard of Oz is presented by Tiessen Financial with shows Friday, February 6, Saturday, February 7, Friday, February 13 and Saturday, February 14 at 7 pm, and two matinees, Sunday, February 8 and Sunday, February 15 at 2 pm.
Tickets can be purchased online at umei.ca/communityplayers/ and can also be purchased at the door. UMEI Christian High School is located at 614 Mersea Rd. 6, just west of Highway 77.
