Originally written by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz is a classic tale full of iconic characters, catchy songs, and whimsical scenes that have dazzled audiences for generations across many media forms. It’s a story about brains, heart, and courage, and the timeless reminder that there’s no place like home. Director Mark Minnick uses the unique in-the-round setup of Toby’s Dinner Theatre to transport audiences to Oz with a wonderful night of music, laughter, and friendship.
The Wizard of Oz follows the lovable Kansas farmgirl Dorothy as she travels over the rainbow with her loyal dog Toto to the land of Oz. On her journey to find a way to the wonderful wizard, she befriends the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion, who all believe the wizard can help them. Featuring many well-loved characters, songs, and scenes (oh my!), this cast of characters must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to find what they’re looking for.
Performing characters that are so iconic and well-known is no easy feat, but all of the main cast did a wonderful job keeping the spirit of the original characters while still being original. Emily Signor did amazing as Dorothy Gale, bringing to life the childlike whimsy and wonder of experiencing Oz for the first time while delivering some fantastic musical numbers. David James was able to capture the floppy movements of the Scarecrow with ease, while Jeffrey Shankle nailed the rusty motions of the Tinman. Jordan B. Stocksdale captured the polarizing nature of the Cowardly Lion with bright smiles and loud cries. MaryKate Brouillet was elegant as Glinda the Good Witch, and Tina Marie DeSimone was wickedly perfect as the scheming Wicked Witch of the West. And who can forget Moritz Vincent-Lowry, who was absolutely adorable as Toto … and so well behaved!
One of the most interesting aspects of this performance is the uniqueness of the stage: the in-the-round setup allows the audience to see the performance from all sides, but this kind of stage can make set transitions difficult. Luckily, director and choreographer Mark Minnick had some equally unique ways to tackle this issue, mainly using the actors! The ensemble cast filled a myriad of roles that both helped to aid visually and create seamless transitions scene-to-scene. Some highlights of this were the tornado dancers, poppy flowers, and my personal favorite, the yellow brick road construction workers. All of the ensemble did a fantastic job switching between roles — they were bubbly as the Munchkins, stoic as the Winkies, and very jittery as the Jitterbugs! Their fluidity as a cast made the world of Oz come to life.
There was quite the variety of costumes in this production, done by Sarah King and Janine Sunday, particularly within the ensemble. The costumes were fun, well-designed, and innovative, from their take on the Tinman and the Munchkins to the light-up poppy dresses; even the background trees and crows were fun to look at. Another technical aspect that added a lot of depth to the show was the lighting, designed by Lynn Joslin: the transition from gray to color once we go over the rainbow, the creative pink spotlight that served as Glinda’s bubble, and the flooding of green once we enter the Emerald City. The clear thoughtfulness behind the lighting choices further transported the audience into this enchanting world of Oz.
Although The Wizard of Oz is such a well-known and beloved tale, the cast and crew at Toby’s Dinner Theatre used the unique aspects and strengths of their stage to create a version of Oz that has the ability to capture audiences and take them over the rainbow and down the yellow brick road. The vibrancy and joy brought about by all the cast and the crew go to show why this story has persevered through the generations, and makes me proud to call Maryland my home … because after all, there’s no place like home!
Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes, including a 20-minute intermission.
The Wizard of Oz plays through June 7, 2026, at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road, Columbia, MD. Tickets, including dinner and show (adult, $78–$94; child, $67–$70), can be purchased by calling 410-730-8311 or online.
