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Chichester Festival Youth Theatre

The Wizard of Oz

By L. Frank Baum
With Music and Lyrics of the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Background Music by Herbert Stothart
Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard
Adapted by John Kane from the motion picture screenplay

– Festival Theatre
Family Friendly
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Overview

A gorgeous visual feast of one of the great Christmas classics

Chichester Observer

You’ll leave with a smile as wide as the rainbow!

In the Cheap Seats

It surpasses even CFYT’s usual high standards, The best stage version of The Wizard of Oz I have ever seen

Sardines Magazine

Always the highlight of the Chichester Winter season, another wonderful CFYT performance

Portsmouth News

When Dorothy runs away from her home in Kansas with her faithful dog Toto, she’s caught up in a terrifying cyclone and finds herself in the strange and magical land of Oz.

There she encounters a host of curious and enchanting characters. Accompanied by a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion, can Dorothy escape the Wicked Witch of the West, reach the Emerald City and find the mysterious Wizard of Oz? 

Don your ruby slippers and join Chichester Festival Youth Theatre as they journey along the yellow brick road in a wonderful adventure for all the family.

This faithful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel was originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and features all the beloved songs from the 1939 classic film, including Over The Rainbow, If I Only Had a Brain and We’re Off To See The Wizard.

Lucy Betts, who directed 2018’s Sleeping Beauty, takes the reins again for another stunning festive production from the remarkable CFYT.

By arrangement with MusicScope and Stage Musicals Limited of New York


Purchase a digital copy of the programme

Our programmes are designed to be the perfect insightful companion to the production. This programme includes an article about The Wizard of Oz, 80 years after the film release in addition to wonderful drawings from costume designer Ryan Dawson Laight. There is also rehearsal photography and biographies of the creative team.

By clicking on BUY you will be re-directed to Issuu's website. The purchased programme will be available to read on their website and app. 

Purchasing a digital programme does not include the purchase of a printed programme.

Prologue tickets available

Reviews

Lucy Betts masterminds a gorgeous visual feast in this hugely enjoyable production of one of the great Christmas classics. With costume designer Ryan Dawson Laight, Betts conjures consistently the most remarkably beautiful pictures on the stage. Designer Simon Higlett’s sparse dark set is the perfect platform from which the cast and costumes can truly sparkle. And to top it all, with superb choreography adding to the colour of it all, the jitterbugs add the night’s great highlight.

There is a freshness and an energy to everything in this show which is completely beguiling. Another truly great night from Chichester Festival Youth Theatre

Chichester Observer

It has long been my contention that Chichester Festival Youth Theatre is one of the best youth theatres in the country and this glitteringly good show simply confirms my view. Directed by Lucy Betts, it surpasses even CFYT’s usual high standards. The best stage version of The Wizard of Oz I have ever seen.

Also, utterly delightful, are Ryan Dawson Laight’s magnificent costumes. There’s an excellent seven piece band, led by Colin Billing who also wrote the orchestrations for this show. The sound is arresting. Simon Higlett’s set and James Whiteside’s lighting design uses a huge arched rainbow behind and over the thrust and it looks wonderful

Sardines Magazine
★★★★★

Lucy Betts’ direction is lively and energetic, the set and costume designs (Simon Higlett and Ryan Dawson Laight respectively) are gorgeous as ever and the musicians, under the charge of Colin Billing are in fine form.

The whole show whips along at pace, but there are still moments to pause and soak up the gorgeous set and costumes, we even get a couple of up-tempo dance numbers, notably the toe-tapping Jitterbug.

You may not be in Kansas anymore, but if you get yourself along to the Festival Theatre you’ll leave with a smile as wide as the rainbow!

In the Cheap Seats

Always the highlight of the Chichester Winter season. Those Arlen and Harburg songs, so well-known from the 1939 film, are sung brilliantly by the cast who particularly shine with those 1930s-style harmonies

Portsmouth News

Cast & Creatives

Creative Team

Cast List
NameRole

Lucy Betts

Director

Simon Higlett

Set Designer

Ryan Dawson Laight

Costume Designer

James Whiteside

Lighting Designer

Colin Billing

Musical Director

Gregory Clarke

Sound Designer

Lauren Grant

Movement Director

Gallery

Gallery

  • Ella O'Keeffe (Dorothy) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Ella O'Keeffe (Dorothy) and members of the company in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Ella O'Keeffe (Dorothy) and Ellie Dickens (Toto) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Evie Carter (Glinda Good Witch of the North) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Florence Clarke (Wicked Witch of the West) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Ellie Dickens (Toto), Ella O'Keeffe (Dorothy), Alfie Scott (Scarecrow), Joe Clines (Tin Woodsman), Richard Chapman (Cowardly Lion) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Members of the company in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Members of the company in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Barnaby Scutts, Georgina Liley (Wicked Witch of the West) Tamsin Brazier and Declan McCarthy in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Lewis Renninson (Cowardly Lion), Isaac Sturge (Tin Woodsman), Polly Maltby (Dorothy), Harvey Lodge (Scarecrow) and Jessie Page-Smith (Toto) in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Members of the company in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • Members of the company in CFYT's The Wizard of Oz
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • The People of Oz - CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • Ella O’Keeffe and Ellie Dickens in rehearsal for CFYT’s The Wizard of Oz
  • CFYT Company of The Wizard of Oz in rehearsal
  • Alfie Ayling, Polly Maltby and Jessie Page-Smith in rehearsal for CFYT’s The Wizard of Oz

Pricing

Pricing Information

Family Tickets

Family Tickets Available

You can get Half Price tickets for up to four Under 16s attending with every full priced paying adult (up to a maximum of 10 tickets). 

Family Ticket discounts (selected performances) will be applied at the checkout page. 

Please note that this discount does not apply to Saturday evenings, Previews or Press Nights or to the lowest two prices in the Festival Theatre. All tickets must be booked and paid for in a single transaction.



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Details.

Age Guidance 
Ages 7+
Running Time
2 hours and 30 minutes including the interval