By Alex Cox and Noelani Schober ||  coxalexj@gmail.com and noelanischober@gmail.com

A review of the January 2026 Amherst Community Theater production of The Wizard of Oz. 

Amherst Community Theater’s (ACT) The Wizard of Oz is a spellbinding reminder of the importance of home and the talent right in our backyard. 

The musical, a stage adaptation of MGM’s 1939 movie, tells the story of Dorothy Gale (played by Sylvie Dinsmore) – a farmgirl who wakes up after a tornado to find that she and her dog Toto (Elmer) “aren’t in Kansas anymore.” Suddenly finding herself in the colorful and magical land of Oz, Dorothy navigates the strange yet eerily familiar landscape in an effort to return home. Following the advice of the Good Witch Glinda (Simone LaPlant), Dororthy seeks help from the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Dylan Tunnell). Along the way, she makes some friends: a brainless Scarecrow (Leigh Witzling), a heartless Tinman (Virginia Wardlaw), and a cowardly Lion (Dave DiLorenzo). Together, the unlikely companions travel to the Emerald City under the constant threat of attack from the Wicked Witch of the West (Amanda Strout). The story unfolds into a humor-filled and whimsical tale of brains, heart, and bravery as the group seeks their hearts’ desires. 

Under the debut direction of longtime ACT board member Stephanie Flinker, actors Dinsmore, Witzling, Wardlaw, and DiLorenzo lead a cast of 59 in bringing the technicolor land of Oz to the Bowker Auditorium stage. The multitalented ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers (oh my!) shows an impressive range of skills – from tap dancing to weather manipulation – and adds a richness and humanity to L. Frank Baum’s classic tale.

One of the producers, Samuel Karlin, spoke about some of the unique challenges of working with such a large cast. “It is always challenging when you’re putting together a show with a cast of (almost) 60… it’s an enormous cast with a diverse group of people – diverse ages and abilities.” However, Karlin noted that the challenges are more than made up for by the opportunity to work with so many talented people, saying “it makes it more of a community production.” 

The large cast is supported (literally, at times) by the impressive set designed by Peter Flinker and built under the direction of David Mullins. “It’s probably one of the biggest sets we’ve ever done,” said Mullins. “It’s a big set with lots of moving pieces.” 

Although some of the technical elements of the production, including the infamous “melting machine,” were able to be reused from ACT’s 2004 production, almost all of the set was built by volunteers this production year. All in all, Mullins estimated that about 125 people contributed to the construction process. 

Director Stephanie Flinker was quick to highlight the fantastic work of all the Oz volunteer team and cast in an interview with the Current. “Directing a play is a lot like running a classroom,” said Flinker (a retired Northampton teacher). “It’s about making sure everyone gets included.”

“It goes beyond the stage,” Flinker continued, pointing to the fantastic chemistry of the entire team. “It warms my heart every night to see we’ve found ways for young actors to shine and… to make it an intergenerational show.”

Both Karlin and Flinker spoke highly of the group numbers (including the Munchkinland and Emerald City scenes) which really allowed the cast to share the stage en masse. From the littlest Munchkin to the oldest chorus member, every cast member had a chance to contribute meaningfully to creating the magic of the show. 

On opening night, the audience felt this magic in a performance that ended with a standing ovation. The production was so full of life and color that it often felt as fit to burst as Glinda’s bubble. 

With bewitching and meritorious performances by Leigh Witzling, Ezra Taylor (in the role of Nikko), Milo Bezark (The Jitterbug), Chris Okerberg (Emerald City Guard), and countless others, The Wizard of Oz is truly a captivating spectacle. 

ACT’s The Wizard of Oz will run through January 25 at Bowker Auditorium at UMass. Performance calendar and tickets are available online at amherstacts.org/buy-tickets/ and at the box office, which opens one hour before every performance. If you are interested in joining the Amherst Community Theater production team, email chair@amherstacts.org. 

All images by Amherst Community Theater and used with permission.

Alex Cox (he/him) is a current graduate student at UMass Amherst studying Regional Planning (MRP) and Public Policy and Administration (MPPA). He currently serves on the Amherst Affordable Housing Trust Fund and as the Graduate Director of the Student Union Art Gallery.

Noelani Schober (she/her) is a current Children’s Literature & Library and Information Science graduate student at Simmons University. She is a Hampshire College alumna (F21). Outside of school, she can be found working at CHD’s Not Bread Alone and returning yet another stack of overdue books to the Jones.