FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2006

CINCINNATI, OH — A wonderful adventure is coming to The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati to take you to a place like no other! Destination: Oz. And on the way, you'll discover that there really is no place like home.

The Wizard of Oz runs Friday, February 24 through Sunday, February 26, 2006 at the Taft Theatre. The show is being directed by Jack Louiso, Artistic Director of The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. The story was written by L. Frank Baum and adapted by Frank Gabrielson; featuring music and lyrics of the screen version by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. The show is being produced by special arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library.

A cyclone transports Dorothy, a young Kansas girl, and her dog, Toto, to magical Munchkin Land. Unfortunately, they land right on top of the Wicked Witch of the East -- not a good thing! As Dorothy and Toto head down the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard and their way back home to Kansas, they meet some new friends, each with a wish that they hope The Great Oz can grant for them. A scrawny Scarecrow needs a brain, a rusty Tin Man needs a heart, and a Cowardly Lion needs courage.

Along the way, the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys try to get rid of these four intruders and claim Dorothy's ruby red slippers giving her power over all of Oz! But, with the help of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and the awareness that they already possess the qualities they were looking for all along, success soon comes to them all.

Where else but in this famous story can you find characters with such determination?! A classic. Join The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati and go over the rainbow.

The Wizard of Oz is ideal for family with children ages 5+. It will be presented for the public at the Taft Theatre on Friday, February 24 at 7:30 PM.; Saturday, February 25 at 2 PM and 5 PM; and Sunday, February 26 at 2 PM at the Taft Theatre, 5th and Sycamore Streets, in downtown Cincinnati.

Single tickets for each production are $18, $16, and $7 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets including Kroger locations, by calling 513-562-4949, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Enjoy the Arts/START and 20/20 Passport Discounts are available.

The Children's Theatre also presents an additional 10 performances of The Wizard of Oz for elementary and middle school students. Ticket prices are $7 per student with one free adult admission for every 15 students. School performances are during the daytime hours, February 23, 24, 27 and 28 and March 1. Call The Children's Theatre Box Office at 513-569-8080 ext. 10 for details. Free proficiency test-focused Study Guides are available online at www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

The Wizard of Oz is made possible by the generous support of Edyth and Carl Lindner, the Fine Arts Fund and the Ohio Arts Council. The Children's Theatre's 2005/2006 Season Sponsor is the Charles H. Dater Foundation. Media sponsors are LOCAL 12, The Cincinnati Enquirer and ExactTarget. Time Warner Cable is the Education Sponsor.

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