In June 2019, Theatre Bristol celebrated the 80th anniversary of the beloved musical “The Wizard of Oz” at the Paramount Center for the Arts during its 54th season.

Created by L. Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, the iconic tale of a Kansas farm girl who travels over the rainbow to discover the magical power of home included iconic songs “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Merry Old Land of Oz,” “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” “If I Were King of the Forest,” and many more.

The Theatre Bristol cast was 72 actors strong, including Toto, and featured some of the region’s top musical theater talents.

The musical was directed by Kenn Naegele, who has performed in and directed numerous productions throughout his career in New York and Tennessee.