PRESS RELEASE FOR THURMONT THESPIANS

“WIZARD OF OZ”

The town of Thurmont will ring with the music from “The Wizard of Oz” this summer at The American Legion Hall. Forty-five area teen-agers have spent their summer learning lines, songs, dances, painting sets, and absorbing all phases of theatre arts at St. John’s Lutheran Church. The Church has been resounding with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, “Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead” and “The Merry Old Land of Oz”, as well as “We’re Off to See the Wizard”! Dorothys, Scarecrows, Tinmen, Lions, Sorceresses and witches with an occasional Wizard of Oz have been spotted rehearsing week nights and Saturday morning ever since the last week of May. Munchkins and Ozonian folks have been seen with Jitterbugs dancing away casting spells on all ordinary people who fall within their aura. It is rumored that there will be Totos in this production - who could resist Toto?

This is the 7^th year the Thurmont Thespians have brought to life a production in Thurmont, alternating years between teens and youth to bring the love of Theatre to our Thurmont area young people. In past years the productions have been produced in the sanctuary of St John’s but the growth of the group has dictated a move to the versatile space at the American Legion Hall. There will be two alternating casts but all the teenagers will be in every production.

L. Frank Baum wrote “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in 1900 solely to pleasure children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained from Grimm’s Fairy Tales but the heart-aches and nightmares are left out. The version being presented in Thurmont is done in conjunction with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc. and the story is adapted by Frank Gabrielson with music and lyrics of the Screen Version by: Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg.

We have a record 24 from the local Thurmont teenagers, five from Frederick and young people from Emmitsburg, Myersville, Taneytown, Rocky Ridge, Keymar, Waynesboro, Fairfield, Monrovia and Boonesboro making up the 45 you will see on the stage. Beth Royer Watson and John Winston are directing with Eileen Winston doing the Musical Direction this year. Heidi and Melissa D’Amore return for the 7^th year doing our Choreography. Spence Watson has designed a novel and unusual set with the use of back projection screen images and cyclorama lighting as well as some very unusual special effects you won’t want to miss.

The Thurmont Thespians always do their productions for the benefit of charity and this year the profit will be donated to the Youth Program at St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Dates of production are Friday August 6, Saturday August 7 at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinee August 8^th at 2 p.m. A second week-end of Friday August 13^th and Saturday August 14^th at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinee August 15^th at 2 p.m. All tickets will sell for $8.00 and there will be reserved seating. Reservations may be made by calling 301-271-7613.