THE WIZ to Close Berkeley Playhouse's 5th Season, 7/13-8/25

The final main stage production of Berkeley Playhouse's fifth season is the Tony Award-winning THE WIZ, a soulful re-imaging of L. Frank Baum's family classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The production will run July 13-August 25, 2013, featuring Book by William F. Brown and Music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls.

Dorothy and her dog Toto get swept away by a tornado and end up in the land of Oz. She learns that the only way she can get home again is to see the magical Wiz in the Emerald City. Along the way, she meets a Scarecrow made of garbage who wants a brain, a Tin Man who wants a heart, and a Lion who wants courage, and together they set off down the Yellow Brick Road to seek help from the all-powerful Wiz.

Kimberly Dooley directs this stage classic about the power of believing in yourself, featuring such soul-stirring stage classics as "Home," "The Feeling We Once Had," "If You Believe," and the funky "Ease On Down the Road."

Berkeley Playhouse was founded in 2007 by Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy, a professional theater actor, director, and teacher for over 20 years. Under the artistic guidance of McKoy, and Managing Director Lauren Hewitt, Berkeley Playhouse is a professional theatre for all ages that presents a season of year-round musicals, providing children and families with unique and sophisticated musical theatre experiences. In addition, Berkeley Playhouse has a music theatre conservatory, which offers a range of educational instruction classes in music performance skills. In 2009, Berkeley Playhouse made its permanent performance home at the historic Julia Morgan Theater in Berkeley.

The show runs in previews on Thursday, July 11, 7pm and Saturday, July 13, 2pm, and opens on Saturday, July 13, 2013, 7pm (Also press opening). Closing is August 25, 2013. All performances Wednesday-Thursday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm, 7pm; Sunday at 12pm, 5pm at the Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Avenue, Berkeley.

For tickets ($17-60) or more information, the public may visit berkeleyplayhouse.org or call 510-845-8542x351; group rates available.

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