http://thewizardofoz.info/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=EricgjovaagOzWiki - User contributions [en]2026-08-18T21:23:52ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.39.3http://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=The_Movie_-_The_Legend&diff=11721The Movie - The Legend2026-08-16T18:57:06Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* What other "best of" movie lists have recognized The Movie? */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Has there ever been a soundtrack release?==<br />
<br />
The songs from The Movie have been a popular subject for record albums ever since it was released. There were a few different versions in 1939, the most famous being one by Ken Darby and his orchestra, with Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow" and "The Jitterbug." This was not a true soundtrack, however, as these were specially recorded sessions for the album, not songs taken directly from The Movie's soundtrack. It was available on record and cassette well into the 1990s, most recently coupled with songs from Walt Disney's ''Pinocchio'', but it is currently unavailable. In conjunction with The Movie's television debut, MGM released a soundtrack album on November 3, 1956, taken directly from The Movie itself, with some dialogue interspersed with the songs to tell the story. This was later expanded upon for a CD release in the late 1980s. In the 1990s the original, unedited film soundtracks were discovered, allowing a true musical soundtrack of The Movie to be released for the first time. Rhino Records issued a deluxe two-CD set in 1995, which includes outtakes, some alternate and rehearsal tracks, the background score, and other extras, as well as an illustrated booklet. Rhino also released a standard one-CD version without the extras in two different packages, one aimed at children. Many of the audio tracks were also released as part of the extras package on the 2005 and 2009 DVD releases. ''The Lux Radio Theater'' performed ''The Wizard of Oz'' on its Christmas, 1950 edition, with Judy Garland playing Dorothy, and it's been released on record, audiocassette, CD, and for download, and as an audio extra on the 2005 and 2009 DVD releases. And a 1939 edition of the ''Maxwell House Good News'' radio show, which featured a number of actors from The Movie and the public debut of its music, has been released on record, audiocassette, and CD (in the latter format with the original Maxwell House commercials, and an extra radio advertisement from MGM), as well as part of the 1999, 2005, and 2009 DVD releases of The Movie.<br />
<br />
==When was The Movie first shown on American television?==<br />
<br />
In the early 1950s, MGM began leasing some of its films to individual television stations, but held back some of its biggest films, including ''Gone with the Wind'' and The Movie. CBS expressed interest in a national showing of ''Gone with the Wind'', but MGM turned them down. So CBS countered with an offer to show The Movie, MGM accepted, and the television rights were sold for $225,000 each for two showings. The Movie was first shown as part of the ''Ford Star Jubilee'' on Saturday, November 3, 1956, and was the first theatrical movie ever shown on national television. The broadcast was introduced by Bert Lahr, Judy Garland's ten-year-old daughter Liza Minnelli, and thirteen-year-old Oz collector Justin Schiller, who had loaned CBS a first edition of the book for Lahr to read to Minnelli on air. (Schiller would go on to found IWOC two months later.) It was watched by an estimated audience of forty-five million. CBS next showed The Movie on December 13, 1959, and from then on it was shown every season on CBS until 1967, when NBC acquired the film for the next eight showings. CBS got it back again in 1976, and showed it on average once a year after that. Before the advent of cable and videotape, The Movie was regularly one of the highest rated shows of the season, and often the highest rated movie, rarely slipping out of the top twenty for the week it was shown. In 1998, The Movie was shown on network television for an unprecedented thirty-ninth time, but this would also be the last for some time. When that contract expired, the rights reverted to Time Warner (see the question [[#Who_owns_The_Movie_now.3F|Who owns The Movie now?]]), who decided to show it on their own cable channels. The Movie made its first cable showing on Superstation TBS in November of 1999, and has been shown without commercials on Turner Classic Movies (TCM), beginning in 2000. In November 2000 it also debuted on another Warner Bros. network, TNT, and it returned to broadcast television in 2002 with a holiday season showing on the WB network until 2005. (The WB was merged with UPN to become the CW network in 2006.) Since these debuts, The Movie has become an annual holiday event on TBS and TNT, shown on both stations in late November or early December. It made its debut on another Warner Bros. station, Cartoon Network, in April of 2011. ''The Wizard of Oz'' will return to American broadcast television in October 2026 on MeTV.<br />
<br />
(An interesting side note: The Movie was not the first Oz movie shown on television. The 1925 silent version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was shown over three nights on early television station W2XCD in Passaic, New Jersey, June 8, 9, and 10, 1931 — eight years before The Movie was released to theaters!)<br />
<br />
==When has The Movie been shown on American television?==<br />
<br />
At first The Movie was a Christmas movie, shown in December. Gradually, however, showings got pushed further back, until it became an Easter staple. For a very long time it was shown in the spring, but in later years CBS showed it around Thanksgiving as well. Now that it is on cable, it has been regularly shown in November or December on TBS and TNT (as it was on the WB). It was a July staple for a few years on TCM, but their showings of The Movie now appear to be more flexible. For a few years, it was also shown around Easter on Cartoon Network.<br />
<br />
For those who really want to delve into the trivia, here are the dates of all of the United States showings of The Movie that I could find, and what network showed it then:<br />
<br />
* November 3, 1956, CBS<br />
* December 13, 1959, CBS<br />
* December 11, 1960, CBS<br />
* December 10, 1961, CBS<br />
* December 9, 1962, CBS<br />
** (This was the only year The Movie was not shown on television in color. CBS was unable to find a sponsor willing to pay the extra expense needed for color, so it went out only in black and white.)<br />
* January 26, 1964, CBS<br />
* January 17, 1965, CBS<br />
* January 9, 1966, CBS<br />
* February 12, 1967, CBS<br />
* April 20, 1968, NBC<br />
* March 9, 1969, NBC<br />
* March 15, 1970, NBC<br />
* April 18, 1971, NBC<br />
* March 7, 1972, NBC<br />
* April 8, 1973, NBC<br />
* March 10, 1974, NBC<br />
** (This was originally scheduled for February 24, but breaking news about the Watergate break-in pushed back the network's schedule. Rather than cut off the beginning of the movie or show it later in the evening, NBC chose to reschedule it.)<br />
* March 30 (Easter), 1975, NBC<br />
* March 14, 1976, CBS<br />
* March 20, 1977, CBS<br />
* March 26 (Easter), 1978, CBS<br />
* March 23, 1979, CBS<br />
* March 7, 1980, CBS<br />
* February 27, 1981, CBS<br />
* March 27, 1982, CBS<br />
* March 18, 1983, CBS<br />
* March 30, 1984, CBS<br />
* March 1, 1985, CBS<br />
* February 15, 1986, CBS<br />
* March 6, 1987, CBS<br />
* February 24, 1988, CBS<br />
* March 19, 1989, CBS<br />
* February 20, 1990, CBS<br />
* March 19, 1991, CBS<br />
* November 27, 1991, CBS<br />
* February 26, 1993, CBS<br />
* November 11, 1993, CBS<br />
* November 23, 1994, CBS<br />
* May 10, 1996, CBS<br />
* May 8, 1998, CBS<br />
* November 21, 1999, TBS<br />
* July 3, 2000, TCM<br />
** The Pink Floyd album ''Dark Side of the Moon'' was played on a secondary audio channel during this broadcast, for those who wanted to check out the alleged synchronization<br />
* November 19 and 25, 2000, TNT<br />
* July 4, 2001, TCM<br />
* December 1 and 2, 2001, TNT<br />
* July 4, 2002, TCM<br />
** This was a Sing-A-Long edition, with onscreen lyrics to the songs.<br />
* November 24, 2002, The WB<br />
* November 28, 2002, TBS<br />
* December 8, 13, and 25, 2002, TNT<br />
* July 5 and 6, 2003, TCM<br />
* November 16 and 21, 2003, TBS<br />
* December 7, 2003, The WB<br />
* December 13 and 14, 2003, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2004, TCM<br />
* November 19, 20, and 24, 2004, TBS<br />
* December 8 and 12, 2004, TNT<br />
* December 19, 2004, The WB<br />
* July 3 and 4, 2005, TCM<br />
* November 11, 12, and 13, 2005, TBS<br />
* December 3, 10, and 18, 2005, TNT<br />
* December 18, 2005, The WB<br />
* July 3 and 4, 2006, TCM<br />
* November 10, 11, and 12, 2006, TBS<br />
** (This was the Movie's first television showings in high definition)<br />
* December 11 and 17, 2006, TNT<br />
* June 3, 2007, TCM<br />
* November 9, 10, and 11, 2007, TBS<br />
* November 9 and 25, 2007, TNT<br />
* March 21 and 22, 2008, TCM<br />
* July 27, 2008, TNT<br />
* December 20 and 21, 2008, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2009, TCM<br />
* September 27, 2009, TBS<br />
* November 13, 14, 15, and 22, 2009, TBS<br />
* December 19, 20, and 27, 2009, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2010, TCM<br />
* November 26, 27, and 28, 2010, TBS<br />
* December 17 and 18, 2010, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2010, TBS<br />
* February 12, 2011, TCM (as part of their annual "31 Days of Oscar" event)<br />
* April 17, 2011, TBS<br />
* April 24-25, 2011, Cartoon Network<br />
* November 4-6, 2011, TBS<br />
* December 17-18, 2011, TNT<br />
* March 24 and 25, 2012, Cartoon Network<br />
* June 10, 2012, TCM (as part of TCM's celebration of Judy Garland's ninetieth birthday)<br />
* November 18 and 25, 2012, TBS<br />
* December 22 and 23, 2012, TNT<br />
* March 30 and 31, 2013, Cartoon Network<br />
* April 22, 2013, TCM<br />
* November 24 and 29, 2013, TBS<br />
* December 21, 2013, TNT<br />
* February 1, 2014, TCM (again, as part of the channel's annual "31 Days of Oscar" celebration)<br />
* April 19 and 20, 2014, Cartoon Network<br />
* November 23 and 28, 2014, TBS<br />
* December 20 and 21, 2014, TNT<br />
* April 3, 2015, TCM<br />
* November 22 and 27, 2015, TBS<br />
* December 19 and 20, 2015, TNT<br />
* April 8 and 9 2016, TCM (April 2016, Judy Garland was TCM's Star of the Month)<br />
* May 1, 2016, TBS<br />
** (Shown as a double feature with ''Oz the Great and Powerful''; also, TBS's first broadcast outside of the holiday season.)<br />
* November 20 and 27, 2016, TBS<br />
* December 12 and 14, 2016, TNT<br />
* November 18, 2017, TBS<br />
* December 22-24, 2017, TNT<br />
* November 22-23, 2018, TBS<br />
* December 21-24, 2018, TNT<br />
* July 5, 2019, TCM<br />
* November 28, 2019, TBS<br />
* December 6-7, 17, and 25, 2019, TNT<br />
* April 10-11, 2020, TCM (Easter weekend, but not on Easter itself)<br />
* April 14, 2020 (TNT's first showing outside of the holiday season)<br />
* November 22 and 26 (Thanksgiving), 2020, TBS<br />
* December 19 and 25, 2020, TNT<br />
* May 1, 2021, TCM (once again, as part of TCM's "31 Days of Oscar" celebration)<br />
* May 2, 2021, TBS<br />
* November 21, 25 (Thanksgiving), and 26, 2021, TBS<br />
* December 20, 2021, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2021, TBS and Cartoon Network<br />
* June 10, 2022, TCM (to celebrate Judy Garland's 100th birthday, and Garland as TCM's Star of the Month)<br />
* November 20, 24 (Thanksgiving), and 25, 2022, TBS<br />
* December 5, 2022, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2022, TBS and Cartoon Network<br />
* December 26, 2022, TNT<br />
* May 4 and 5, 2023, TCM<br />
* July 15, 2023, TBS (a special showing to celebrate Warner Bros. one hundredth anniversary)<br />
* November 18, 23 (Thanksgiving), and 24, 2023, TBS<br />
* December 9, 10, 16, and 26, 2023, TBS<br />
* December 11 and 24, 2023, TNT<br />
* April 8, 2024, TCM<br />
* November 17 and 29, and December 8 and 9, 2024, TBS<br />
* December 16, 24, 25, and 31, 2024 and January 6 and 11, 2025, TNT<br />
** (Several HBO channels also started showing The Movie in November of 2024, and regular screenings continued well into 2025.)<br />
* March 15, 2025, TNT<br />
* November 7 and 8, 2025, TCM<br />
* November 22, 2025, TNT<br />
* January 3, 2026, TBS<br />
<br />
For more details, you may want to read the article [https://web.archive.org/web/20110620232125/http://wikibin.org/articles/the-wizard-of-oz-on-television-3.html "''The Wizard of Oz'' on Television"] (now archived).<br />
<br />
==Why is it being shown on cable now?==<br />
<br />
Because the current owners (see the question [[#Who_owns_The_Movie_now.3F|Who owns The Movie now?]]) own cable channels. Naturally they'd rather show it on one of their own channels than share the advertising revenues with another broadcaster. More and more, cable has become the home for movies on television, and ''The Wizard of Oz'' is just one of them. It's still a special event, with only one or two annual showings on TCM, and during the holiday season on commercial cable. While Warner Bros. had its own broadcast network (The WB), they showed it there as a holiday special event, from 2002 to 2005. When The WB merged with UPN in 2006 to become The CW, that put an end to these showings.<br />
<br />
==Who have been the hosts for the television broadcasts?==<br />
<br />
Until more time was needed to show commercials, each showing had a host to introduce The Movie. Besides Lahr, Minnelli and Schiller in 1956 (see the question [[#When_was_The_Movie_first_shown_on_American_television.3F|When was The Movie first shown on American television?]]), the hosts have been Red Skelton and his daughter Valentina in 1959, Richard Boone, the star of ''Have Gun Will Travel'', and his son Peter in 1960, Dick Van Dyke and his children in 1961 and 1962, and Danny Kaye from 1964 to 1967 (the 1964 segments were taped and repeated for the following three showings). The 1970 broadcast, the first since Judy Garland's death, was prefaced by a brief tribute to Garland by Gregory Peck. And in 1990 and 1996, Angela Lansbury hosted a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Movie and its lasting popularity. This and other specials have also been shown in conjunction with the cable showings on TNT and TCM. The showings on TCM have been hosted by the channel's regular host, Robert Osborne, with the exception of 2007, when it was hosted by Tom Kenny, the voice of Spongebob Squarepants, as part of a summer series of family movies. Noted Oz and Judy Garland researcher John Fricke co-hosted with Osborne for the June 2012 broadcast, as part of TCM's salute to Garland on her ninetieth birthday. Since Osborne's retirement in 2016 and passing in 2017, TCM's main host has been Ben Mankiewicz. Mankiewicz's grandfather, Herman J. Mankiewicz, was a screenwriter whose best known work is ''Citizen Kane'', but he was also the first writer to tackle ''The Wizard of Oz'' for MGM.<br />
<br />
==Was there really a joke blurb for The Movie in TV listings?==<br />
<br />
[[File:Surreal_oz.jpeg|center]]<br />
<br />
A popular meme on social media makes ''The Wizard of Oz'' out to be a completely different kind of movie:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again."</blockquote><br />
<br />
It may sound like a joke, but this was actually the listing TCM provided to news outlets for their 1998 showing of The Movie. Written by Rick Polito, he said in a 2012 interview, "That line is going to follow me to the grave." You can read more about it [https://ew.com/article/2012/10/26/wizard-of-oz-movie-description/ on the ''Entertainment Weekly'' website].<br />
<br />
==Is The Movie shown on TV in other countries?==<br />
<br />
While it seems not to have quite gripped the collective imagination abroad as it has in America, The Movie has been a staple on television in other countries, such as Canada (shown on the CBC), Great Britain (shown on the BBC), and Australia. (If anyone in other countries would like to give me more information about how and when it's shown, please contact me. I'd love to include this information in this FAQ.)<br />
<br />
==How many American video releases have there been?==<br />
<br />
Several. The Movie is one of the all-time best selling movies on home media in America, and it has been issued in a number of different packages. There were at least four different versions of The Movie on VHS tape. The initial release, in the early 1980s, was pretty straightforward, with just The Movie. In 1989, to commemorate The Movie's fiftieth anniversary, a new edition was released, with the Kansas sequences rendered in sepia, and about twenty minutes of extra behind-the-scenes footage added at the end. This included Arlen's home movies of "The Jitterbug," Bolger's extended "If I Only Had a Brain" dance, film of Garland and Mickey Rooney at the 1940 Oscars ceremony, and some early publicity film, with Buddy Ebsen still playing the Tin Woodman. The original packaging for this edition included a booklet of behind-the-scenes information, which was dropped in later issues. In 1993, Turner Home Entertainment released a deluxe collector's edition, ''The Ultimate Oz'', that included a new cleaned-up print of The Movie; a second cassette with the 1990 Angela Lansbury documentary, including extra material not shown on television, and more behind-the-scenes footage, including test film of the actors and special effects; a hardbound copy of the script; and a folio of publicity photographs. A new video edition, with a digitally restored picture and soundtrack remastered in THX, was released in late 1996, which in 1997 became one of the first movies ever released on DVD. This first North American DVD release includes soundtracks and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, but no other extras. The digitally restored Special Edition seen in theaters was released on VHS video in 1999, both as a stand-alone single tape and on two tapes (the second tape included the Angela Lansbury special and other footage, much of it similar to what was in ''The Ultimate Oz''). This version was also released on DVD, again in both standard and gift sets. This second DVD edition includes the same extras as on the second videotape and a number of DVD exclusives. The gift set includes the script book and photographs. In 2005, The Movie was again released on DVD (but, for the first time, not on VHS), this time in two- and three-disk sets. Besides yet another restored version and the many extras already released in earlier versions, this editions features a commentary track by noted Oz historian John Fricke, a music and effects only soundtrack, and new made-for-DVD documentaries. The third disk in the three-DVD set includes many old black-and-white silent Oz movies and the 1933 cartoon, and a documentary on L. Frank Baum, as well as some reproduced print materials. All this was available on the latest DVD release, in 2009 for the seventieth anniversary; new (on at least some editions) were a documentary on director Victor Fleming and the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', the life story of Oz author L. Frank Baum. This was also the first time The Movie was released on Blu-Ray. For the seventy-fifth anniversary in 2014, another rerelease on DVD and Blu-Ray came out in several different packages, with various extras. The deluxe collector's set included a watch, a book of the timeline of The Movie's production, and a 3-D Blu-Ray disk. The Movie was released in a 4K edition in 2019, to celebrate its eightieth anniversary.<br />
<br />
There is a rumor out there that a "rare" black-and-white-only video is available that shows the alleged "hanging man." There has never been a black-and-white release of The Movie is any format or medium. The rumor might refer to the Kansas scenes in the first video release, however. But there's still no hanging man in it.<br />
<br />
Five different editions have also been released on videodisk, most with a separate audio program on the second sound channel. One from Criterion in the early 1980s included an inaccurate commentary from film historian Ron Haver, and was the first release since The Movie's premiere to show the Kansas scenes in sepia. Many of the extra features were later released on the 1989 VHS edition. Another laserdisk from MGM at roughly the same time came with an audio track that had been found without most of the dialogue for use in foreign dubbed versions. This soundtrack is now available on the 2005 DVD release. An edition from Turner in the disk version of ''The Ultimate Oz'' included better, more accurate commentary by Oz historian John Fricke, since updated for the 2005 DVD release. One version also had Spanish and French soundtracks on two different channels.<br />
<br />
==What streaming service carries ''The Wizard of Oz''?==<br />
<br />
In the United States, ''The Wizard of Oz'' now streams exclusively via the [https://www.max.com/movies/wizard-of-oz-1939/18a7f5a2-3f3a-4a62-a257-29136ac68dff Max streaming service]. I have not researched which services carry it in other countries, but if you have a version of Max, I'd start by looking there. And if you tell me where you find it, I'll gladly include that information here.<br />
<br />
==Is ''The Wizard of Oz'' being removed from streaming services because it's offensive?==<br />
<br />
[[File:NBC_Oz.jpg|center]]<br />
Not long after it started, the HBO Max streaming service reexamined its presentation of some of its classic movies and other programming in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. Most notably, ''Gone with the Wind'' was briefly removed while HBO Max decided how to deal with its portrayal of slavery and Black characters. (''Gone with the Wind'' was soon reinstated, uncut, with a disclaimer putting both the events and the movie itself in historical context.) Some critics, thinking that somehow ''Gone with the Wind'' was gone for good or couldn't possibly be problematic or something, tried to be funny or make a point and claim this would happen with other movies. The most popular take was that ''The Wizard of Oz'' was being removed because it was offensive to the brainless. This is totally false, as HBO Max never removed ''The Wizard of Oz'' and has not changed its presentation at all. Some people even created memes claiming that NBC was removing it, which is even more ridiculous as neither NBC nor its parent company, Universal, have anything to do with ''The Wizard of Oz'' (their streaming service is Peacock). NBC last aired ''The Wizard of Oz'' in 1975.<br />
<br />
==What's this I hear about the Ruby Slippers being auctioned off for a lot of money?==<br />
<br />
Dorothy's shoes from The Movie have gone on to be one of the most famous and recognized pieces of movie costuming — and the most sought after, considering how much money pairs have fetched at auction. The first pair auctioned off was at MGM's studio auction in 1970, when they went for $15,000. This pair now belongs to the Smithsonian Institution, and toured America in the 1990s as part of the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary celebration. Since then, other pairs have turned up. Like other Hollywood costumes, there was more than one pair of Ruby Slippers — and Bobbie Koshay, Garland's double, had a different shoe size, meaning some had to be made to fit her as well. At least five pairs are known to exist, and they have fetched higher and higher prices at auctions. A pair sold for $660,000 at Christie's auction house in New York City in 2000. This pair, by the way, had been given away as a contest prize in 1939, and the winner had kept them for nearly fifty years before putting them up for auction. The first auction for this pair of Ruby Slippers, in 1988, brought a price of $165,000, and the buyer put them on display at the Disney-MGM Studio park at Walt Disney World before putting them up for auction again. In June 2011, Debbie Reynolds sold her extensive Hollywood memorabilia collection at auction, which included a test pair of ruby slippers that were not actually used in The Movie. The final price for this "Arabian" pair of ruby slippers was $510,000, but that was beaten by a Dorothy dress in the same auction that sold for $910,000. Around this same time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences purchased a pair for approximately $2,000,000 to display in its then-forthcoming museum in downtown Los Angeles. This acquisition was bankrolled by many Hollywood A-listers, including (it is rumored) Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg. And in 2024, the "Travelling Pair", which acquired the second nickname "The Stolen Pair" after they were recovered in 2018 (they had been stolen in 2005) shattered all records by selling for $28,000,000. (Commissions and fees brought the final price to over $32,000,000.) This was more than any previous movie memorabilia ''auction'' brought in!<br />
<br />
==Where are the Ruby Slippers now? Can I go see them?==<br />
<br />
One pair is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. In fact, that's one of the Smithsonian's most popular attractions. One pair has been displayed at times at the Philip Samuels Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. A test pair with a different design that never appeared in The Movie was on exhibit at Debbie Reynolds' movie memorabilia museum in Las Vegas, but Reynolds auctioned off her collection in the summer of 2011. Another pair may also be in Las Vegas, at the Planet Hollywood in the Caesar's Palace hotel. One pair often goes on tour to shopping malls. One pair, owned by a private collector in California, is locked away in a safe deposit box. This may be the pair that was stolen during the Judy Garland Festival in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in the summer of 2005. (This pair was recovered in 2018.) Finally, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bought a pair in 2012 in anticipation of opening its own museum, and they are frequently on display there.<br />
<br />
==Where are the other costumes? Can I go see them?==<br />
<br />
Most of the surviving costumes from The Movie are now in private hands, and are not generally on display. One of the few exceptions is one of the Scarecrow costumes, which was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by Ray Bolger. [https://www.mopop.org/ The Museum of Popular Culture] in Seattle also has a few Oz items on display, including a complete Cowardly Lion costume, and [https://www.geekwire.com/2023/paul-allen-estate-donates-thousands-of-rare-music-film-and-sci-fi-artifacts-to-seattles-mopop/ was bequested one of Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West hats in 2023].<br />
<br />
==Is it true that Ted Turner wants to colorize the Kansas sequences?==<br />
<br />
Ted Turner, the Atlanta television mogul who launched TBS, TNT, CNN, and other cable channels, became the owner of The Movie when he bought MGM's library in the 1980s. He then immediately negotiated a deal with CBS, extending their rights to show The Movie through 1998, in exchange for the television rights to his all-time favorite film, ''Gone with the Wind'', which CBS also held at the time. While Turner has caused a stir among movie purists with his use of modern technology to add color to previously black-and-white films, he has stated that The Movie must have its Kansas scenes in black-and-white. In fact, Turner should be commended by Oz and movie fans for restoring the original sepia tones to the Kansas sequences, which had previously only been seen during the film's early theatrical releases. Besides, the whole idea of colorizing movies seems to have been a fad, as very little has been done about it of late. Nowadays, movie fans are much more knowledgeable and vocal, and thus movies are generally shown as close as possible to their original forms. Some movies are shown in letterboxed format, with black bars at the top and bottom, to simulate widescreen presentations, for example, and movies are sometimes shown in a longer time slot. In recent years, broadcasts of The Movie have lasted two hours and ten minutes or longer, so as to preserve the original film as much as possible yet still show enough commercials to make some money, just to give one example.<br />
<br />
==Is The Movie on the National Film Registry?==<br />
<br />
In 1988, in response to colorization and other alterations made to movies, several prominent filmmakers lobbied the United States Congress to do something to preserve their rights as artists and the integrity of the original films. While Congress couldn't actually come out and make these changes illegal, they did establish the National Film Preservation Board (http://www.loc.gov/film/), and a National Film Registry, administered by the Library of Congress. Every year, twenty-five American movies are added to the list as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. A pristine, unaltered print of each movie is preserved by the Library of Congress for posterity, and broadcasters and video producers are requested, but not required, to state that a film on the registry has been altered and in what way if shown in a different form. The first year that films were announced for the registry was 1989, and among them was The Movie. Other films added to the registry that year include ''Casablanca'', ''Citizen Kane'', ''The Grapes of Wrath'', ''High Noon'', ''The Maltese Falcon'', ''Singin' in the Rain'', ''On the Waterfront'', ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', ''Some Like It Hot'', ''Sunset Boulevard'', ''Star Wars'' — and, of course, ''Gone with the Wind''. You can find out more about the National Film Registry at http://www.loc.gov/film/filmnfr.html and http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/movies/NFR-Titles.html.<br />
<br />
==Where does The Movie rank on the AFI's Top 100 list?==<br />
<br />
In 1998, to celebrate the first century of American filmmaking, the American Film Institute polled movie makers, film historians, and others to come up with the top one hundred American films up to that time. The list debuted on a CBS television special. This list became an annual tradition, with varying topics, until 2008. Naturally, ''The Wizard of Oz'', being such an iconic Hollywood film, was a part of many of the lists. So, here's where ''Oz'' and its stars ended up (with links to the entire list):<br />
<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/movies.aspx 100 Years...100 Movies] (1998) saw The Movie come in at number 6.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/stars.aspx 100 Years...100 Stars] (1999) had fifty of today's top stars honoring fifty stars of the classic years of Hollywood, split into two lists of twenty-five actors and twenty-five actresses. In the latter list, Judy Garland came in at number 8, while Oz fan and 1960 television Ozma and Tip Shirley Temple was at number 18.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/thrills.aspx 100 Years...100 Thrills] (2001) has ''The Wizard of Oz'' ranked at number 43.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/handv.aspx 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains] (2003) had two lists, of the top fifty heroes and villains. The Wicked Witch of the West came in at number 4 on the villains list.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/songs.aspx 100 Years...100 Songs] (2004) had two ''Oz'' numbers:<br />
** "Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead" at number 82<br />
** "Over the Rainbow" topping the list at number 1 (not bad for a song that was almost cut!)<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/quotes.aspx 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes] netted ''The Wizard of Oz'' three spots:<br />
** "I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!" at number 99<br />
** "There's no place like home." at number 23<br />
** "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." (a misquote; it's actually, "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more.") at number 4<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/musicals.aspx 100 Years of Musicals] (2006), which was not shown on television, ranked the twenty-five greatest American musicals. ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at number 3, with two more Judy Garland films also making the top ten: ''A Star is Born'' at number 7, and ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' at number 10.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/cheers.aspx 100 Years...100 Cheers] (2006), for movies that inspire, saw ''The Wizard of Oz'' come in at number 26.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/movies10.aspx 100 Years...100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition] (2007) revisited the AFI's original list. ''The Wizard of Oz'' slipped to number 10.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/10top10/ 10 Top Ten] (2008) broke the list up into lists of ten in ten different film genres. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was the number one fantasy film on that list.<br />
<br />
For more information on all of the AFI's 100 Years... lists, see http://www.afi.com/100years/.<br />
<br />
==What other "best of" movie lists have recognized The Movie?==<br />
<br />
Quite a few, as you can imagine. Here are some:<br />
* In 1995, to celebrate one hundred years of cinema, the Vatican released [http://old.usccb.org/movies/vaticanfilms.shtml a list of forty-five movies with religious, value, or artistic significance]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was listed in the latter category.<br />
* A 1998 issue of ''TV Guide'' magazine listed "The 50 Greatest Movies on TV and Video". ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at number four. The only movies ahead of it (at the time) were ''Citizen Kane'' (#3), ''Casablanca'' (#2), and ''The Godfather, Part II'' at the top. And for once, ''The Wizard of Oz'' beat ''Gone with the Wind'', which was only at twenty-eight.<br />
* In 2005, the British Film Institute (BFI) compiled a list of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFI_list_of_the_50_films_you_should_see_by_the_age_of_14 the fifty films you should see by the age of fourteen]. The list was not ranked or numbered, but ''The Wizard of Oz'' was listed in the top ten.<br />
* At least some editions of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1001_Movies_You_Must_See_Before_You_Die ''1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die''] list ''The Wizard of Oz''. However, as there have now been several editions of this book, and I haven't had the chance to review them all, one can't assume that this is always the case. (But it probably is.)<br />
* The Visual Effects Society created a list of [http://deadline.com/2017/09/most-influential-visual-effects-movies-all-time-visual-effects-society-star-wars-steven-spielberg-1202167849/ the fifty most influential VFX movies of all time], and the list included ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* In 2008 ''Empire'' magazine unveiled their list of the five hundred greatest movies of all time. ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at [http://www.empireonline.com/500/64.asp #172].<br />
* In 2011, ABC and ''People'' magazine put together a television special, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_in_Film:_The_Greatest_Movies_of_Our_Time ''Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time''], voted on by the public. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was the number three Best Musical (behind ''The Sound of Music'' at the top, and ''Grease'' second), and behind only ''Gone with the Wind'' in the Best Film category.<br />
* The February/March 2013 issue of Scholastic's ''Parent and Child'' magazine created a list of [http://www.scholastic.com/100movies/ the 100 Greatest Movies for Kids]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was at the very top of that list.<br />
* The July 5/12, 2013 double issue of ''Entertainment Weekly'' magazine published several "100 All-Time Greatest" lists. On [http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20712079_20716628,00.html its movie list], ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at #28. (''Gone with the Wind'' was #10.)<br />
* The July 18, 2014 issue of ''Entertainment Weekly'' published a list of [https://ew.com/gallery/essential-movies-kids/ ''55 Essential Movies Every Kid Should See''], presented in the order kids should see them. The Movie was on it, of course, in the 8+ category, right between ''The Lion King'' and ''Singin' in the Rain''.<br />
* In 2015, the BBC surveyed film critics from around the world for their list of [http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150720-the-100-greatest-american-films The 100 Greatest American Films]. The Movie came in at #34, which still beat ''Gone with the Wind'', all the way down at #97!<br />
* A fivethirtyeight.com poll released in 2017 ranked [https://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/whats-the-most-rewatchable-movie-of-all-time/ the 25 most rewatchable movies]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was #2, only behind the original ''Star Wars''. (''Gone with the Wind'' was #5).<br />
* To celebrate its centennial in 2019, the American Society of Cinematographers presented a list of [https://theasc.com/news/asc-unveils-list-of-100-milestone-films-in-cinematography-of-the-20th-century 100 Milestone Films in Cinematography of the 20th Century]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' did not make the top ten (which was ranked), but was named on the remainder of the list, which was given in release order (so The Movie was followed by its 1939 nemesis, ''Gone with the Wind'').<br />
* A [https://www.classical-music.com/features/tv-and-film-music/best-movie-musicals 2026 list of the best movie musicals of all time] published by the BBC put The Movie at number one.<br />
* ''Entertainment Weekly'' ranked [https://ew.com/wizard-of-oz-movies-adaptations-ranked-12057339 the top nine Oz movie adaptations] in 2026. I don't think #1 will be a surprise, but the rest of the list is…intriguing. (Tori Calimito at the Oz Vlog [https://youtube.com/shorts/5xuYFOFc8qE?si=IZvzG2A9569J0o8l has her own take on the list].)<br />
<br />
==Who owns The Movie now?==<br />
<br />
Okay, let's see if we can keep this straight. For a long time, of course, The Movie was owned by MGM — actually, by the studio's parent company, Loews, Inc. — since they made it. In 1948, the United States Supreme Court ruled that theater chains owning production studios constituted illegal monopolies. As a result, MGM was spun off from Loews and became its own company in 1956, and it retained the rights to The Movie. After MGM fell on hard times, Kirk Kerkorian bought it in 1969. He was responsible for selling off most of the land, the 1970 auction that included the first auction of a pair of Ruby Slippers, and using much of those assets to build the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Kerkorian sold MGM to Ted Turner in 1986, and Turner, saddled with debts, turned around and sold just the studio back to Kerkorian a few weeks later while retaining the rights to hundreds of old MGM and RKO movies, including The Movie and his all-time favorite film, ''Gone with the Wind''. In 1995, Turner merged his media empire with Time Warner. This is why The Movie has been shown on Time Warner-owned networks in recent years (TBS, TNT, TCM, the WB, Cartoon Network), and why Warner Bros. is marketing a lot of Movie-based merchandise. So the current owner of The Movie is Turner Entertainment, which is a Time Warner subsidiary company, and distribution is handled by Warner Bros.<br />
<br />
==Where can I find other fans of The Movie?==<br />
<br />
Many fans of the Oz books are also fans of The Movie, and Movie fans sometimes become fans of the books. So if you can find Oz fans in general (see the sections on [http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_fans Oz fans] and [http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_on_your_computer On on your computer] of this FAQ), you can probably find fans of The Movie. There may be options available through (TMOHH) the links page of the WWOOW. Take a look at http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/The_famous_film_version, there is a whole set of links devoted just to The Movie there. If you are familiar with Usenet newsgroups, there is one set up for The Movie, alt.movies.wizard-of-oz (http://groups.google.com/group/alt.movies.wizard-of-oz), but it seems nobody is visiting it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_FAQ Oz FAQ Index Page] • [http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11720OzWiki:Current events2026-08-15T03:46:15Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* The Wizard of Oz play, Seattle, Washington */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' North American Tour===<br />
The recent Broadway reinterpretation of ''The Wiz'' is back for another tour, this time hitting smaller theaters for shorter spans than it did last year. Dates and links will be up soon, but until then, visit https://wizmusical.com/tour-dates/ to see if it will ease into your neck of the woods.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Woodsman'' play, Nashville, Tennessee===<br />
'''Now through August 29, 2026: ''The Woodsman'' play, Barbershop Theater, Nashville, Tennessee.''' James Ortiz's puppet-based play about the origin of the Tin Woodman gets a new production by the Street Theatre Company. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the show's website at https://www.streettheatrecompany.org/the-woodsman.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information, visit https://5thavenue.org/shows/2026-27/the-wizard-of-oz/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2027==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August (exact date to be announced), 2027: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11719OzWiki:Current events2026-08-14T04:54:59Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Ozmafia anime series, on the Internet */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' North American Tour===<br />
The recent Broadway reinterpretation of ''The Wiz'' is back for another tour, this time hitting smaller theaters for shorter spans than it did last year. Dates and links will be up soon, but until then, visit https://wizmusical.com/tour-dates/ to see if it will ease into your neck of the woods.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Woodsman'' play, Nashville, Tennessee===<br />
'''Now through August 29, 2026: ''The Woodsman'' play, Barbershop Theater, Nashville, Tennessee.''' James Ortiz's puppet-based play about the origin of the Tin Woodman gets a new production by the Street Theatre Company. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the show's website at https://www.streettheatrecompany.org/the-woodsman.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2027==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August (exact date to be announced), 2027: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11718OzWiki:Current events2026-08-14T00:20:01Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked Oz Brunch, Seattle, Washington */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Woodsman'' play, Nashville, Tennessee===<br />
'''Now through August 29, 2026: ''The Woodsman'' play, Barbershop Theater, Nashville, Tennessee.''' James Ortiz's puppet-based play about the origin of the Tin Woodman gets a new production by the Street Theatre Company. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the show's website at https://www.streettheatrecompany.org/the-woodsman.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2027==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August (exact date to be announced), 2027: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11717OzWiki:Current events2026-08-14T00:15:02Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked play, around the world */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2027==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August (exact date to be announced), 2027: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11716OzWiki:Current events2026-08-10T20:55:09Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* July 2027 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2027==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August (exact date to be announced), 2027: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11715OzWiki:Current events2026-08-10T20:54:47Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11714OzWiki:Current events2026-08-10T20:53:44Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked play, around the world */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11713OzWiki:Current events2026-08-07T20:46:05Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* June 2027 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2027==<br />
===OzCon International, Portland, Oregon===<br />
'''July 9-11, 2027: OzCon International, Portland, Oregon.''' After a year off, the world's longest-running Oz convention is back, and back in Portland for the first time in a decade. Stay tuned for more information!<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11712OzWiki:Current events2026-08-01T23:09:22Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* The Wizard of Oz screening, Palm Springs, California */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Frederick, Maryland===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wondelful Wizard of Oz: The Drone Light Show'', Nymeo Field, Frederick, Maryland.''' Celestial, the British drone company, crosses the Atlantic for a rare American presentation of their lighted drone retelling of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/frederick/events/wizard-of-oz-drone-show.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11711OzWiki:Current events2026-07-29T23:33:31Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Cinecon, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''September 3-7, 2026: Cinecon, Nuart Theatre, Los Angeles, California.''' The classic film and television festival holds its 62nd edition this year with a diverse line-up of classic movies. This year's festival includes the world premiere of Nate Barlow's restored version of L. Frank Baum's 1914 silent movie ''The Magic Cloak of Oz'', based on his novel ''Queen Zixi of Ix''. The showing is Friday, September 4 at 10:20 am. For more information, visit https://cineconfilmfest.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11710OzWiki:Current events2026-07-28T22:14:57Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* The Wizard of Oz national telecast, MeTV */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. Lisa Welchel of the network's ''Collector's Call'' hosts, and there will be visits with collectors, performers, and other Oz contributors. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11709Oz News2026-07-27T00:18:26Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==July 25, 2026: The L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
Today, the International Wizard of Oz Club awarded its highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, to Cindy Ragni. Ragni has served the Club for many years on the Board of Directors and contributed many articles to the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle''.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
[[file:Matt_Clark.webp|right]]Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. Clark's career spanned fifty years, and he was best known for his appearances in Westerns. Other movie roles included ''In the Heat of the Night'', ''The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'', ''The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension'', ''Back to the Future Part III'', ''Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh'', and ''A Million Ways to Die in the West''. On television, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and miniseries, and was a guest on shows that included ''Ben Casey'', ''The Rat Patrol'', ''Death Valley Days'', ''Bonanza'', ''The Waltons'', ''Kung Fu'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', ''Grace Under Fire'', ''Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''Lonesome Dove'', ''The Jeff Foxworthy Show'', ''Walker: Texas Ranger'', and ''Chicago Hope''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Henry_(Novels) The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11708Oz News2026-07-27T00:17:57Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==July 25, 2026: The L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
Today, the International Wizard of Oz Club awarded its highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, to Cindy Ragni. Ragni has served the Club for many years on the Board of Directors and contributed many articles to the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle''.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
[[file:Matt_Clark.webp|right]]Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. Clark's career spanned fifty years, and he was best known for his appearances in Westerns. Other movie roles included ''In the Heat of the Night'', ''The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'', ''The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension'', ''Back to the Future Part III'', ''Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh'', and ''A Million Ways to Die in the West''. On television, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and miniseries, and was a guest on shows that included ''Ben Casey'', ''The Rat Patrol'', ''Death Valley Days'', ''Bonanza'', ''The Waltons'', ''Kung Fu'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', ''Grace Under Fire'', ''Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''Lonesome Dove'', ''The Jeff Foxworthy Show'', ''Walker: Texas Ranger'', and ''Chicago Hope''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Henry_(Novels) The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11707OzWiki:Current events2026-07-25T17:59:13Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked in Concert'' tour<br />
'''''Wicked in Concert.''''' This touring production has a symphony orchestra playing the songs of ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' while the movies play onscreen. Keep checking in for updates of the tour's dates and locations.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11706OzWiki:Current events2026-07-24T23:22:09Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* July 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11705Oz News2026-07-23T18:13:53Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
[[file:Matt_Clark.webp|right]]Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. Clark's career spanned fifty years, and he was best known for his appearances in Westerns. Other movie roles included ''In the Heat of the Night'', ''The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'', ''The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension'', ''Back to the Future Part III'', ''Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh'', and ''A Million Ways to Die in the West''. On television, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and miniseries, and was a guest on shows that included ''Ben Casey'', ''The Rat Patrol'', ''Death Valley Days'', ''Bonanza'', ''The Waltons'', ''Kung Fu'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', ''Grace Under Fire'', ''Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''Lonesome Dove'', ''The Jeff Foxworthy Show'', ''Walker: Texas Ranger'', and ''Chicago Hope''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Henry_(Novels) The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=File:Matt_Clark.webp&diff=11704File:Matt Clark.webp2026-07-23T18:03:29Z<p>Ericgjovaag: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11703Oz News2026-07-21T19:05:53Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11702Oz News2026-07-21T19:05:30Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11701Oz News2026-07-21T19:05:06Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=File:Michael_Hague.jpeg&diff=11700File:Michael Hague.jpeg2026-07-21T19:03:49Z<p>Ericgjovaag: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11699Oz News2026-07-21T19:03:25Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11698Oz News2026-07-21T03:28:30Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* February 2, 2026: The Baum Bugle Winter 2025 Issue and Oziana 2025 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.<br />
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.<br />
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11697OzWiki:Current events2026-07-19T22:26:38Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* The Wizard of Oz national telecast, MeTV */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCcDfF-dPus?si=r3nV32LqWgvpiUzq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11696OzWiki:Current events2026-07-19T22:25:41Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* October 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast, MeTV===<br />
'''October (exact dates to be announced), 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' national telecast.''' For the first time since 2005, the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' will get a national over-the-air telecast, as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-nanza. For more information, keep an eye on [https://www.metv.com/ MeTV's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11695OzWiki:Current events2026-07-18T02:13:15Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Candlelight: The Wizard of Oz concerts, around the world */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Kids website.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. Now that it has been shown on television, it's available on [https://pbskids.org/videos/watch/alma-in-oz-the-musical/2749314 the PBK Kids website], and possibly your local PBS station's website.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11694OzWiki:Current events2026-07-18T02:09:06Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* July 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=The_Movie_-_The_Legend&diff=11693The Movie - The Legend2026-07-17T02:31:13Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* What other "best of" movie lists have recognized The Movie? */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Has there ever been a soundtrack release?==<br />
<br />
The songs from The Movie have been a popular subject for record albums ever since it was released. There were a few different versions in 1939, the most famous being one by Ken Darby and his orchestra, with Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow" and "The Jitterbug." This was not a true soundtrack, however, as these were specially recorded sessions for the album, not songs taken directly from The Movie's soundtrack. It was available on record and cassette well into the 1990s, most recently coupled with songs from Walt Disney's ''Pinocchio'', but it is currently unavailable. In conjunction with The Movie's television debut, MGM released a soundtrack album on November 3, 1956, taken directly from The Movie itself, with some dialogue interspersed with the songs to tell the story. This was later expanded upon for a CD release in the late 1980s. In the 1990s the original, unedited film soundtracks were discovered, allowing a true musical soundtrack of The Movie to be released for the first time. Rhino Records issued a deluxe two-CD set in 1995, which includes outtakes, some alternate and rehearsal tracks, the background score, and other extras, as well as an illustrated booklet. Rhino also released a standard one-CD version without the extras in two different packages, one aimed at children. Many of the audio tracks were also released as part of the extras package on the 2005 and 2009 DVD releases. ''The Lux Radio Theater'' performed ''The Wizard of Oz'' on its Christmas, 1950 edition, with Judy Garland playing Dorothy, and it's been released on record, audiocassette, CD, and for download, and as an audio extra on the 2005 and 2009 DVD releases. And a 1939 edition of the ''Maxwell House Good News'' radio show, which featured a number of actors from The Movie and the public debut of its music, has been released on record, audiocassette, and CD (in the latter format with the original Maxwell House commercials, and an extra radio advertisement from MGM), as well as part of the 1999, 2005, and 2009 DVD releases of The Movie.<br />
<br />
==When was The Movie first shown on American television?==<br />
<br />
In the early 1950s, MGM began leasing some of its films to individual television stations, but held back some of its biggest films, including ''Gone with the Wind'' and The Movie. CBS expressed interest in a national showing of ''Gone with the Wind'', but MGM turned them down. So CBS countered with an offer to show The Movie, MGM accepted, and the television rights were sold for $225,000 each for two showings. The Movie was first shown as part of the ''Ford Star Jubilee'' on Saturday, November 3, 1956, and was the first theatrical movie ever shown on national television. The broadcast was introduced by Bert Lahr, Judy Garland's ten-year-old daughter Liza Minnelli, and thirteen-year-old Oz collector Justin Schiller, who had loaned CBS a first edition of the book for Lahr to read to Minnelli on air. (Schiller would go on to found IWOC two months later.) It was watched by an estimated audience of forty-five million. CBS next showed The Movie on December 13, 1959, and from then on it was shown every season on CBS until 1967, when NBC acquired the film for the next eight showings. CBS got it back again in 1976, and showed it on average once a year after that. Before the advent of cable and videotape, The Movie was regularly one of the highest rated shows of the season, and often the highest rated movie, rarely slipping out of the top twenty for the week it was shown. In 1998, The Movie was shown on network television for an unprecedented thirty-ninth time, but this would also be the last for some time. When that contract expired, the rights reverted to Time Warner (see the question [[#Who_owns_The_Movie_now.3F|Who owns The Movie now?]]), who decided to show it on their own cable channels. The Movie made its first cable showing on Superstation TBS in November of 1999, and has been shown without commercials on Turner Classic Movies (TCM), beginning in 2000. In November 2000 it also debuted on another Warner Bros. network, TNT, and it returned to broadcast television in 2002 with a holiday season showing on the WB network until 2005. (The WB was merged with UPN to become the CW network in 2006.) Since these debuts, The Movie has become an annual holiday event on TBS and TNT, shown on both stations in late November or early December. It made its debut on another Warner Bros. station, Cartoon Network, in April of 2011. ''The Wizard of Oz'' will return to American broadcast television in October 2026 on MeTV.<br />
<br />
(An interesting side note: The Movie was not the first Oz movie shown on television. The 1925 silent version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was shown over three nights on early television station W2XCD in Passaic, New Jersey, June 8, 9, and 10, 1931 — eight years before The Movie was released to theaters!)<br />
<br />
==When has The Movie been shown on American television?==<br />
<br />
At first The Movie was a Christmas movie, shown in December. Gradually, however, showings got pushed further back, until it became an Easter staple. For a very long time it was shown in the spring, but in later years CBS showed it around Thanksgiving as well. Now that it is on cable, it has been regularly shown in November or December on TBS and TNT (as it was on the WB). It was a July staple for a few years on TCM, but their showings of The Movie now appear to be more flexible. For a few years, it was also shown around Easter on Cartoon Network.<br />
<br />
For those who really want to delve into the trivia, here are the dates of all of the United States showings of The Movie that I could find, and what network showed it then:<br />
<br />
* November 3, 1956, CBS<br />
* December 13, 1959, CBS<br />
* December 11, 1960, CBS<br />
* December 10, 1961, CBS<br />
* December 9, 1962, CBS<br />
** (This was the only year The Movie was not shown on television in color. CBS was unable to find a sponsor willing to pay the extra expense needed for color, so it went out only in black and white.)<br />
* January 26, 1964, CBS<br />
* January 17, 1965, CBS<br />
* January 9, 1966, CBS<br />
* February 12, 1967, CBS<br />
* April 20, 1968, NBC<br />
* March 9, 1969, NBC<br />
* March 15, 1970, NBC<br />
* April 18, 1971, NBC<br />
* March 7, 1972, NBC<br />
* April 8, 1973, NBC<br />
* March 10, 1974, NBC<br />
** (This was originally scheduled for February 24, but breaking news about the Watergate break-in pushed back the network's schedule. Rather than cut off the beginning of the movie or show it later in the evening, NBC chose to reschedule it.)<br />
* March 30 (Easter), 1975, NBC<br />
* March 14, 1976, CBS<br />
* March 20, 1977, CBS<br />
* March 26 (Easter), 1978, CBS<br />
* March 23, 1979, CBS<br />
* March 7, 1980, CBS<br />
* February 27, 1981, CBS<br />
* March 27, 1982, CBS<br />
* March 18, 1983, CBS<br />
* March 30, 1984, CBS<br />
* March 1, 1985, CBS<br />
* February 15, 1986, CBS<br />
* March 6, 1987, CBS<br />
* February 24, 1988, CBS<br />
* March 19, 1989, CBS<br />
* February 20, 1990, CBS<br />
* March 19, 1991, CBS<br />
* November 27, 1991, CBS<br />
* February 26, 1993, CBS<br />
* November 11, 1993, CBS<br />
* November 23, 1994, CBS<br />
* May 10, 1996, CBS<br />
* May 8, 1998, CBS<br />
* November 21, 1999, TBS<br />
* July 3, 2000, TCM<br />
** The Pink Floyd album ''Dark Side of the Moon'' was played on a secondary audio channel during this broadcast, for those who wanted to check out the alleged synchronization<br />
* November 19 and 25, 2000, TNT<br />
* July 4, 2001, TCM<br />
* December 1 and 2, 2001, TNT<br />
* July 4, 2002, TCM<br />
** This was a Sing-A-Long edition, with onscreen lyrics to the songs.<br />
* November 24, 2002, The WB<br />
* November 28, 2002, TBS<br />
* December 8, 13, and 25, 2002, TNT<br />
* July 5 and 6, 2003, TCM<br />
* November 16 and 21, 2003, TBS<br />
* December 7, 2003, The WB<br />
* December 13 and 14, 2003, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2004, TCM<br />
* November 19, 20, and 24, 2004, TBS<br />
* December 8 and 12, 2004, TNT<br />
* December 19, 2004, The WB<br />
* July 3 and 4, 2005, TCM<br />
* November 11, 12, and 13, 2005, TBS<br />
* December 3, 10, and 18, 2005, TNT<br />
* December 18, 2005, The WB<br />
* July 3 and 4, 2006, TCM<br />
* November 10, 11, and 12, 2006, TBS<br />
** (This was the Movie's first television showings in high definition)<br />
* December 11 and 17, 2006, TNT<br />
* June 3, 2007, TCM<br />
* November 9, 10, and 11, 2007, TBS<br />
* November 9 and 25, 2007, TNT<br />
* March 21 and 22, 2008, TCM<br />
* July 27, 2008, TNT<br />
* December 20 and 21, 2008, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2009, TCM<br />
* September 27, 2009, TBS<br />
* November 13, 14, 15, and 22, 2009, TBS<br />
* December 19, 20, and 27, 2009, TNT<br />
* July 2 and 3, 2010, TCM<br />
* November 26, 27, and 28, 2010, TBS<br />
* December 17 and 18, 2010, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2010, TBS<br />
* February 12, 2011, TCM (as part of their annual "31 Days of Oscar" event)<br />
* April 17, 2011, TBS<br />
* April 24-25, 2011, Cartoon Network<br />
* November 4-6, 2011, TBS<br />
* December 17-18, 2011, TNT<br />
* March 24 and 25, 2012, Cartoon Network<br />
* June 10, 2012, TCM (as part of TCM's celebration of Judy Garland's ninetieth birthday)<br />
* November 18 and 25, 2012, TBS<br />
* December 22 and 23, 2012, TNT<br />
* March 30 and 31, 2013, Cartoon Network<br />
* April 22, 2013, TCM<br />
* November 24 and 29, 2013, TBS<br />
* December 21, 2013, TNT<br />
* February 1, 2014, TCM (again, as part of the channel's annual "31 Days of Oscar" celebration)<br />
* April 19 and 20, 2014, Cartoon Network<br />
* November 23 and 28, 2014, TBS<br />
* December 20 and 21, 2014, TNT<br />
* April 3, 2015, TCM<br />
* November 22 and 27, 2015, TBS<br />
* December 19 and 20, 2015, TNT<br />
* April 8 and 9 2016, TCM (April 2016, Judy Garland was TCM's Star of the Month)<br />
* May 1, 2016, TBS<br />
** (Shown as a double feature with ''Oz the Great and Powerful''; also, TBS's first broadcast outside of the holiday season.)<br />
* November 20 and 27, 2016, TBS<br />
* December 12 and 14, 2016, TNT<br />
* November 18, 2017, TBS<br />
* December 22-24, 2017, TNT<br />
* November 22-23, 2018, TBS<br />
* December 21-24, 2018, TNT<br />
* July 5, 2019, TCM<br />
* November 28, 2019, TBS<br />
* December 6-7, 17, and 25, 2019, TNT<br />
* April 10-11, 2020, TCM (Easter weekend, but not on Easter itself)<br />
* April 14, 2020 (TNT's first showing outside of the holiday season)<br />
* November 22 and 26 (Thanksgiving), 2020, TBS<br />
* December 19 and 25, 2020, TNT<br />
* May 1, 2021, TCM (once again, as part of TCM's "31 Days of Oscar" celebration)<br />
* May 2, 2021, TBS<br />
* November 21, 25 (Thanksgiving), and 26, 2021, TBS<br />
* December 20, 2021, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2021, TBS and Cartoon Network<br />
* June 10, 2022, TCM (to celebrate Judy Garland's 100th birthday, and Garland as TCM's Star of the Month)<br />
* November 20, 24 (Thanksgiving), and 25, 2022, TBS<br />
* December 5, 2022, TNT<br />
* December 25, 2022, TBS and Cartoon Network<br />
* December 26, 2022, TNT<br />
* May 4 and 5, 2023, TCM<br />
* July 15, 2023, TBS (a special showing to celebrate Warner Bros. one hundredth anniversary)<br />
* November 18, 23 (Thanksgiving), and 24, 2023, TBS<br />
* December 9, 10, 16, and 26, 2023, TBS<br />
* December 11 and 24, 2023, TNT<br />
* April 8, 2024, TCM<br />
* November 17 and 29, and December 8 and 9, 2024, TBS<br />
* December 16, 24, 25, and 31, 2024 and January 6 and 11, 2025, TNT<br />
** (Several HBO channels also started showing The Movie in November of 2024, and regular screenings continued well into 2025.)<br />
* March 15, 2025, TNT<br />
* November 7 and 8, 2025, TCM<br />
* November 22, 2025, TNT<br />
* January 3, 2026, TBS<br />
<br />
For more details, you may want to read the article [https://web.archive.org/web/20110620232125/http://wikibin.org/articles/the-wizard-of-oz-on-television-3.html "''The Wizard of Oz'' on Television"] (now archived).<br />
<br />
==Why is it being shown on cable now?==<br />
<br />
Because the current owners (see the question [[#Who_owns_The_Movie_now.3F|Who owns The Movie now?]]) own cable channels. Naturally they'd rather show it on one of their own channels than share the advertising revenues with another broadcaster. More and more, cable has become the home for movies on television, and ''The Wizard of Oz'' is just one of them. It's still a special event, with only one or two annual showings on TCM, and during the holiday season on commercial cable. While Warner Bros. had its own broadcast network (The WB), they showed it there as a holiday special event, from 2002 to 2005. When The WB merged with UPN in 2006 to become The CW, that put an end to these showings.<br />
<br />
==Who have been the hosts for the television broadcasts?==<br />
<br />
Until more time was needed to show commercials, each showing had a host to introduce The Movie. Besides Lahr, Minnelli and Schiller in 1956 (see the question [[#When_was_The_Movie_first_shown_on_American_television.3F|When was The Movie first shown on American television?]]), the hosts have been Red Skelton and his daughter Valentina in 1959, Richard Boone, the star of ''Have Gun Will Travel'', and his son Peter in 1960, Dick Van Dyke and his children in 1961 and 1962, and Danny Kaye from 1964 to 1967 (the 1964 segments were taped and repeated for the following three showings). The 1970 broadcast, the first since Judy Garland's death, was prefaced by a brief tribute to Garland by Gregory Peck. And in 1990 and 1996, Angela Lansbury hosted a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Movie and its lasting popularity. This and other specials have also been shown in conjunction with the cable showings on TNT and TCM. The showings on TCM have been hosted by the channel's regular host, Robert Osborne, with the exception of 2007, when it was hosted by Tom Kenny, the voice of Spongebob Squarepants, as part of a summer series of family movies. Noted Oz and Judy Garland researcher John Fricke co-hosted with Osborne for the June 2012 broadcast, as part of TCM's salute to Garland on her ninetieth birthday. Since Osborne's retirement in 2016 and passing in 2017, TCM's main host has been Ben Mankiewicz. Mankiewicz's grandfather, Herman J. Mankiewicz, was a screenwriter whose best known work is ''Citizen Kane'', but he was also the first writer to tackle ''The Wizard of Oz'' for MGM.<br />
<br />
==Was there really a joke blurb for The Movie in TV listings?==<br />
<br />
[[File:Surreal_oz.jpeg|center]]<br />
<br />
A popular meme on social media makes ''The Wizard of Oz'' out to be a completely different kind of movie:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again."</blockquote><br />
<br />
It may sound like a joke, but this was actually the listing TCM provided to news outlets for their 1998 showing of The Movie. Written by Rick Polito, he said in a 2012 interview, "That line is going to follow me to the grave." You can read more about it [https://ew.com/article/2012/10/26/wizard-of-oz-movie-description/ on the ''Entertainment Weekly'' website].<br />
<br />
==Is The Movie shown on TV in other countries?==<br />
<br />
While it seems not to have quite gripped the collective imagination abroad as it has in America, The Movie has been a staple on television in other countries, such as Canada (shown on the CBC), Great Britain (shown on the BBC), and Australia. (If anyone in other countries would like to give me more information about how and when it's shown, please contact me. I'd love to include this information in this FAQ.)<br />
<br />
==How many American video releases have there been?==<br />
<br />
Several. The Movie is one of the all-time best selling movies on home media in America, and it has been issued in a number of different packages. There were at least four different versions of The Movie on VHS tape. The initial release, in the early 1980s, was pretty straightforward, with just The Movie. In 1989, to commemorate The Movie's fiftieth anniversary, a new edition was released, with the Kansas sequences rendered in sepia, and about twenty minutes of extra behind-the-scenes footage added at the end. This included Arlen's home movies of "The Jitterbug," Bolger's extended "If I Only Had a Brain" dance, film of Garland and Mickey Rooney at the 1940 Oscars ceremony, and some early publicity film, with Buddy Ebsen still playing the Tin Woodman. The original packaging for this edition included a booklet of behind-the-scenes information, which was dropped in later issues. In 1993, Turner Home Entertainment released a deluxe collector's edition, ''The Ultimate Oz'', that included a new cleaned-up print of The Movie; a second cassette with the 1990 Angela Lansbury documentary, including extra material not shown on television, and more behind-the-scenes footage, including test film of the actors and special effects; a hardbound copy of the script; and a folio of publicity photographs. A new video edition, with a digitally restored picture and soundtrack remastered in THX, was released in late 1996, which in 1997 became one of the first movies ever released on DVD. This first North American DVD release includes soundtracks and subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, but no other extras. The digitally restored Special Edition seen in theaters was released on VHS video in 1999, both as a stand-alone single tape and on two tapes (the second tape included the Angela Lansbury special and other footage, much of it similar to what was in ''The Ultimate Oz''). This version was also released on DVD, again in both standard and gift sets. This second DVD edition includes the same extras as on the second videotape and a number of DVD exclusives. The gift set includes the script book and photographs. In 2005, The Movie was again released on DVD (but, for the first time, not on VHS), this time in two- and three-disk sets. Besides yet another restored version and the many extras already released in earlier versions, this editions features a commentary track by noted Oz historian John Fricke, a music and effects only soundtrack, and new made-for-DVD documentaries. The third disk in the three-DVD set includes many old black-and-white silent Oz movies and the 1933 cartoon, and a documentary on L. Frank Baum, as well as some reproduced print materials. All this was available on the latest DVD release, in 2009 for the seventieth anniversary; new (on at least some editions) were a documentary on director Victor Fleming and the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', the life story of Oz author L. Frank Baum. This was also the first time The Movie was released on Blu-Ray. For the seventy-fifth anniversary in 2014, another rerelease on DVD and Blu-Ray came out in several different packages, with various extras. The deluxe collector's set included a watch, a book of the timeline of The Movie's production, and a 3-D Blu-Ray disk. The Movie was released in a 4K edition in 2019, to celebrate its eightieth anniversary.<br />
<br />
There is a rumor out there that a "rare" black-and-white-only video is available that shows the alleged "hanging man." There has never been a black-and-white release of The Movie is any format or medium. The rumor might refer to the Kansas scenes in the first video release, however. But there's still no hanging man in it.<br />
<br />
Five different editions have also been released on videodisk, most with a separate audio program on the second sound channel. One from Criterion in the early 1980s included an inaccurate commentary from film historian Ron Haver, and was the first release since The Movie's premiere to show the Kansas scenes in sepia. Many of the extra features were later released on the 1989 VHS edition. Another laserdisk from MGM at roughly the same time came with an audio track that had been found without most of the dialogue for use in foreign dubbed versions. This soundtrack is now available on the 2005 DVD release. An edition from Turner in the disk version of ''The Ultimate Oz'' included better, more accurate commentary by Oz historian John Fricke, since updated for the 2005 DVD release. One version also had Spanish and French soundtracks on two different channels.<br />
<br />
==What streaming service carries ''The Wizard of Oz''?==<br />
<br />
In the United States, ''The Wizard of Oz'' now streams exclusively via the [https://www.max.com/movies/wizard-of-oz-1939/18a7f5a2-3f3a-4a62-a257-29136ac68dff Max streaming service]. I have not researched which services carry it in other countries, but if you have a version of Max, I'd start by looking there. And if you tell me where you find it, I'll gladly include that information here.<br />
<br />
==Is ''The Wizard of Oz'' being removed from streaming services because it's offensive?==<br />
<br />
[[File:NBC_Oz.jpg|center]]<br />
Not long after it started, the HBO Max streaming service reexamined its presentation of some of its classic movies and other programming in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. Most notably, ''Gone with the Wind'' was briefly removed while HBO Max decided how to deal with its portrayal of slavery and Black characters. (''Gone with the Wind'' was soon reinstated, uncut, with a disclaimer putting both the events and the movie itself in historical context.) Some critics, thinking that somehow ''Gone with the Wind'' was gone for good or couldn't possibly be problematic or something, tried to be funny or make a point and claim this would happen with other movies. The most popular take was that ''The Wizard of Oz'' was being removed because it was offensive to the brainless. This is totally false, as HBO Max never removed ''The Wizard of Oz'' and has not changed its presentation at all. Some people even created memes claiming that NBC was removing it, which is even more ridiculous as neither NBC nor its parent company, Universal, have anything to do with ''The Wizard of Oz'' (their streaming service is Peacock). NBC last aired ''The Wizard of Oz'' in 1975.<br />
<br />
==What's this I hear about the Ruby Slippers being auctioned off for a lot of money?==<br />
<br />
Dorothy's shoes from The Movie have gone on to be one of the most famous and recognized pieces of movie costuming — and the most sought after, considering how much money pairs have fetched at auction. The first pair auctioned off was at MGM's studio auction in 1970, when they went for $15,000. This pair now belongs to the Smithsonian Institution, and toured America in the 1990s as part of the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary celebration. Since then, other pairs have turned up. Like other Hollywood costumes, there was more than one pair of Ruby Slippers — and Bobbie Koshay, Garland's double, had a different shoe size, meaning some had to be made to fit her as well. At least five pairs are known to exist, and they have fetched higher and higher prices at auctions. A pair sold for $660,000 at Christie's auction house in New York City in 2000. This pair, by the way, had been given away as a contest prize in 1939, and the winner had kept them for nearly fifty years before putting them up for auction. The first auction for this pair of Ruby Slippers, in 1988, brought a price of $165,000, and the buyer put them on display at the Disney-MGM Studio park at Walt Disney World before putting them up for auction again. In June 2011, Debbie Reynolds sold her extensive Hollywood memorabilia collection at auction, which included a test pair of ruby slippers that were not actually used in The Movie. The final price for this "Arabian" pair of ruby slippers was $510,000, but that was beaten by a Dorothy dress in the same auction that sold for $910,000. Around this same time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences purchased a pair for approximately $2,000,000 to display in its then-forthcoming museum in downtown Los Angeles. This acquisition was bankrolled by many Hollywood A-listers, including (it is rumored) Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg. And in 2024, the "Travelling Pair", which acquired the second nickname "The Stolen Pair" after they were recovered in 2018 (they had been stolen in 2005) shattered all records by selling for $28,000,000. (Commissions and fees brought the final price to over $32,000,000.) This was more than any previous movie memorabilia ''auction'' brought in!<br />
<br />
==Where are the Ruby Slippers now? Can I go see them?==<br />
<br />
One pair is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. In fact, that's one of the Smithsonian's most popular attractions. One pair has been displayed at times at the Philip Samuels Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. A test pair with a different design that never appeared in The Movie was on exhibit at Debbie Reynolds' movie memorabilia museum in Las Vegas, but Reynolds auctioned off her collection in the summer of 2011. Another pair may also be in Las Vegas, at the Planet Hollywood in the Caesar's Palace hotel. One pair often goes on tour to shopping malls. One pair, owned by a private collector in California, is locked away in a safe deposit box. This may be the pair that was stolen during the Judy Garland Festival in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in the summer of 2005. (This pair was recovered in 2018.) Finally, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bought a pair in 2012 in anticipation of opening its own museum, and they are frequently on display there.<br />
<br />
==Where are the other costumes? Can I go see them?==<br />
<br />
Most of the surviving costumes from The Movie are now in private hands, and are not generally on display. One of the few exceptions is one of the Scarecrow costumes, which was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by Ray Bolger. [https://www.mopop.org/ The Museum of Popular Culture] in Seattle also has a few Oz items on display, including a complete Cowardly Lion costume, and [https://www.geekwire.com/2023/paul-allen-estate-donates-thousands-of-rare-music-film-and-sci-fi-artifacts-to-seattles-mopop/ was bequested one of Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West hats in 2023].<br />
<br />
==Is it true that Ted Turner wants to colorize the Kansas sequences?==<br />
<br />
Ted Turner, the Atlanta television mogul who launched TBS, TNT, CNN, and other cable channels, became the owner of The Movie when he bought MGM's library in the 1980s. He then immediately negotiated a deal with CBS, extending their rights to show The Movie through 1998, in exchange for the television rights to his all-time favorite film, ''Gone with the Wind'', which CBS also held at the time. While Turner has caused a stir among movie purists with his use of modern technology to add color to previously black-and-white films, he has stated that The Movie must have its Kansas scenes in black-and-white. In fact, Turner should be commended by Oz and movie fans for restoring the original sepia tones to the Kansas sequences, which had previously only been seen during the film's early theatrical releases. Besides, the whole idea of colorizing movies seems to have been a fad, as very little has been done about it of late. Nowadays, movie fans are much more knowledgeable and vocal, and thus movies are generally shown as close as possible to their original forms. Some movies are shown in letterboxed format, with black bars at the top and bottom, to simulate widescreen presentations, for example, and movies are sometimes shown in a longer time slot. In recent years, broadcasts of The Movie have lasted two hours and ten minutes or longer, so as to preserve the original film as much as possible yet still show enough commercials to make some money, just to give one example.<br />
<br />
==Is The Movie on the National Film Registry?==<br />
<br />
In 1988, in response to colorization and other alterations made to movies, several prominent filmmakers lobbied the United States Congress to do something to preserve their rights as artists and the integrity of the original films. While Congress couldn't actually come out and make these changes illegal, they did establish the National Film Preservation Board (http://www.loc.gov/film/), and a National Film Registry, administered by the Library of Congress. Every year, twenty-five American movies are added to the list as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. A pristine, unaltered print of each movie is preserved by the Library of Congress for posterity, and broadcasters and video producers are requested, but not required, to state that a film on the registry has been altered and in what way if shown in a different form. The first year that films were announced for the registry was 1989, and among them was The Movie. Other films added to the registry that year include ''Casablanca'', ''Citizen Kane'', ''The Grapes of Wrath'', ''High Noon'', ''The Maltese Falcon'', ''Singin' in the Rain'', ''On the Waterfront'', ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', ''Some Like It Hot'', ''Sunset Boulevard'', ''Star Wars'' — and, of course, ''Gone with the Wind''. You can find out more about the National Film Registry at http://www.loc.gov/film/filmnfr.html and http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/clamen/misc/movies/NFR-Titles.html.<br />
<br />
==Where does The Movie rank on the AFI's Top 100 list?==<br />
<br />
In 1998, to celebrate the first century of American filmmaking, the American Film Institute polled movie makers, film historians, and others to come up with the top one hundred American films up to that time. The list debuted on a CBS television special. This list became an annual tradition, with varying topics, until 2008. Naturally, ''The Wizard of Oz'', being such an iconic Hollywood film, was a part of many of the lists. So, here's where ''Oz'' and its stars ended up (with links to the entire list):<br />
<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/movies.aspx 100 Years...100 Movies] (1998) saw The Movie come in at number 6.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/stars.aspx 100 Years...100 Stars] (1999) had fifty of today's top stars honoring fifty stars of the classic years of Hollywood, split into two lists of twenty-five actors and twenty-five actresses. In the latter list, Judy Garland came in at number 8, while Oz fan and 1960 television Ozma and Tip Shirley Temple was at number 18.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/thrills.aspx 100 Years...100 Thrills] (2001) has ''The Wizard of Oz'' ranked at number 43.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/handv.aspx 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains] (2003) had two lists, of the top fifty heroes and villains. The Wicked Witch of the West came in at number 4 on the villains list.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/songs.aspx 100 Years...100 Songs] (2004) had two ''Oz'' numbers:<br />
** "Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead" at number 82<br />
** "Over the Rainbow" topping the list at number 1 (not bad for a song that was almost cut!)<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/quotes.aspx 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes] netted ''The Wizard of Oz'' three spots:<br />
** "I'll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!" at number 99<br />
** "There's no place like home." at number 23<br />
** "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." (a misquote; it's actually, "I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more.") at number 4<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/musicals.aspx 100 Years of Musicals] (2006), which was not shown on television, ranked the twenty-five greatest American musicals. ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at number 3, with two more Judy Garland films also making the top ten: ''A Star is Born'' at number 7, and ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' at number 10.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/cheers.aspx 100 Years...100 Cheers] (2006), for movies that inspire, saw ''The Wizard of Oz'' come in at number 26.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/100years/movies10.aspx 100 Years...100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition] (2007) revisited the AFI's original list. ''The Wizard of Oz'' slipped to number 10.<br />
* [http://www.afi.com/10top10/ 10 Top Ten] (2008) broke the list up into lists of ten in ten different film genres. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was the number one fantasy film on that list.<br />
<br />
For more information on all of the AFI's 100 Years... lists, see http://www.afi.com/100years/.<br />
<br />
==What other "best of" movie lists have recognized The Movie?==<br />
<br />
Quite a few, as you can imagine. Here are some:<br />
* In 1995, to celebrate one hundred years of cinema, the Vatican released [http://old.usccb.org/movies/vaticanfilms.shtml a list of forty-five movies with religious, value, or artistic significance]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was listed in the latter category.<br />
* A 1998 issue of ''TV Guide'' magazine listed "The 50 Greatest Movies on TV and Video". ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at number four. The only movies ahead of it (at the time) were ''Citizen Kane'' (#3), ''Casablanca'' (#2), and ''The Godfather, Part II'' at the top. And for once, ''The Wizard of Oz'' beat ''Gone with the Wind'', which was only at twenty-eight.<br />
* In 2005, the British Film Institute (BFI) compiled a list of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFI_list_of_the_50_films_you_should_see_by_the_age_of_14 the fifty films you should see by the age of fourteen]. The list was not ranked or numbered, but ''The Wizard of Oz'' was listed in the top ten.<br />
* At least some editions of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1001_Movies_You_Must_See_Before_You_Die ''1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die''] list ''The Wizard of Oz''. However, as there have now been several editions of this book, and I haven't had the chance to review them all, one can't assume that this is always the case. (But it probably is.)<br />
* The Visual Effects Society created a list of [http://deadline.com/2017/09/most-influential-visual-effects-movies-all-time-visual-effects-society-star-wars-steven-spielberg-1202167849/ the fifty most influential VFX movies of all time], and the list included ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* In 2008 ''Empire'' magazine unveiled their list of the five hundred greatest movies of all time. ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at [http://www.empireonline.com/500/64.asp #172].<br />
* In 2011, ABC and ''People'' magazine put together a television special, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_in_Film:_The_Greatest_Movies_of_Our_Time ''Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time''], voted on by the public. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was the number three Best Musical (behind ''The Sound of Music'' at the top, and ''Grease'' second), and behind only ''Gone with the Wind'' in the Best Film category.<br />
* The February/March 2013 issue of Scholastic's ''Parent and Child'' magazine created a list of [http://www.scholastic.com/100movies/ the 100 Greatest Movies for Kids]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was at the very top of that list.<br />
* The July 5/12, 2013 double issue of ''Entertainment Weekly'' magazine published several "100 All-Time Greatest" lists. On [http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20712079_20716628,00.html its movie list], ''The Wizard of Oz'' came in at #28. (''Gone with the Wind'' was #10.)<br />
* The July 18, 2014 issue of ''Entertainment Weekly'' published a list of [https://ew.com/gallery/essential-movies-kids/ ''55 Essential Movies Every Kid Should See''], presented in the order kids should see them. The Movie was on it, of course, in the 8+ category, right between ''The Lion King'' and ''Singin' in the Rain''.<br />
* In 2015, the BBC surveyed film critics from around the world for their list of [http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150720-the-100-greatest-american-films The 100 Greatest American Films]. The Movie came in at #34, which still beat ''Gone with the Wind'', all the way down at #97!<br />
* A fivethirtyeight.com poll released in 2017 ranked [https://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/whats-the-most-rewatchable-movie-of-all-time/ the 25 most rewatchable movies]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' was #2, only behind the original ''Star Wars''. (''Gone with the Wind'' was #5).<br />
* To celebrate its centennial in 2019, the American Society of Cinematographers presented a list of [https://theasc.com/news/asc-unveils-list-of-100-milestone-films-in-cinematography-of-the-20th-century 100 Milestone Films in Cinematography of the 20th Century]. ''The Wizard of Oz'' did not make the top ten (which was ranked), but was named on the remainder of the list, which was given in release order (so The Movie was followed by its 1939 nemesis, ''Gone with the Wind'').<br />
* A [https://www.classical-music.com/features/tv-and-film-music/best-movie-musicals 2026 list of the best movie musicals of all time] published by the BBC put The Movie at number one.<br />
<br />
==Who owns The Movie now?==<br />
<br />
Okay, let's see if we can keep this straight. For a long time, of course, The Movie was owned by MGM — actually, by the studio's parent company, Loews, Inc. — since they made it. In 1948, the United States Supreme Court ruled that theater chains owning production studios constituted illegal monopolies. As a result, MGM was spun off from Loews and became its own company in 1956, and it retained the rights to The Movie. After MGM fell on hard times, Kirk Kerkorian bought it in 1969. He was responsible for selling off most of the land, the 1970 auction that included the first auction of a pair of Ruby Slippers, and using much of those assets to build the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Kerkorian sold MGM to Ted Turner in 1986, and Turner, saddled with debts, turned around and sold just the studio back to Kerkorian a few weeks later while retaining the rights to hundreds of old MGM and RKO movies, including The Movie and his all-time favorite film, ''Gone with the Wind''. In 1995, Turner merged his media empire with Time Warner. This is why The Movie has been shown on Time Warner-owned networks in recent years (TBS, TNT, TCM, the WB, Cartoon Network), and why Warner Bros. is marketing a lot of Movie-based merchandise. So the current owner of The Movie is Turner Entertainment, which is a Time Warner subsidiary company, and distribution is handled by Warner Bros.<br />
<br />
==Where can I find other fans of The Movie?==<br />
<br />
Many fans of the Oz books are also fans of The Movie, and Movie fans sometimes become fans of the books. So if you can find Oz fans in general (see the sections on [http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_fans Oz fans] and [http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_on_your_computer On on your computer] of this FAQ), you can probably find fans of The Movie. There may be options available through (TMOHH) the links page of the WWOOW. Take a look at http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/The_famous_film_version, there is a whole set of links devoted just to The Movie there. If you are familiar with Usenet newsgroups, there is one set up for The Movie, alt.movies.wizard-of-oz (http://groups.google.com/group/alt.movies.wizard-of-oz), but it seems nobody is visiting it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Oz_FAQ Oz FAQ Index Page] • [http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11692Oz News2026-07-16T05:09:45Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* February 2, 2026: The Baum Bugle Winter 2025 Issue and Oziana 2025 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue:<br />
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.<br />
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.<br />
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.<br />
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.<br />
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.<br />
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.<br />
<br />
More on this issue coming soon.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11691OzWiki:Current events2026-07-15T23:49:03Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, Palm Springs, California===<br />
'''August 22, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'' screening, The Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, California.''' Watch the famous 1939 film adaptation as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. The Plaza Theatre showing starts at 3:00 pm, and special guest Vanessa O'Neil will answe questions after. O'Neil is Judy Garland's only granddaughter and administrator of the Judy Garland estate's social media presence. For more information, visit https://www.palmspringsplazatheatre.com/events/detail/wizard-of-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11690OzWiki:Current events2026-07-12T22:18:10Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* July 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'', TCM===<br />
'''July 21, 2026: ''The Wiz'' cabelcast, TCM.''' Turner Classic Movies shows the 1978 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Scheduled for 12:30 am EDT/PDT (check your local listings for exact time).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11689OzWiki:Current events2026-07-12T21:16:02Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* After Oz, Manila, The Philippines */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11688OzWiki:Current events2026-07-12T21:15:43Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Bookshop&diff=11687Bookshop2026-07-12T03:23:25Z<p>Ericgjovaag: </p>
<hr />
<div><big>Lobby</big><br />
<br>Welcome! This is an exciting place, because here, you can buy Oz books, books by L. Frank Baum and other Oz authors, Oz activity books, cassettes, CDs, videos, toys and games, and even computer software, all at the click of your mouse button. I've tried to give you a wide selection to choose from, in all price ranges, so there's sure to be something you like. Oz books also make great gifts for the Oz fan on your shopping list! Now that the bookshop is in wiki format, it should be much easier to update, and new items (when I find out about them) will show up here in the lobby on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
This service is presented in association with [[File:amazon-com-logo.gif|link=Amazon]] [[Amazon|Amazon.com]] in the United States, and its subsidiaries, [[File:amazon-ca-logo.gif|link=http://www.amazon.ca/]] [http://amazon.ca Amazon.ca] in Canada and [[File:amazon-uk-logo.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/]] [http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Amazon.co.uk] in Great Britain. For out-of-print, rare, or antiquarian books, besure to check out [[File:abe-button.gif|link=http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/]] [http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/ Abebooks.com].<br />
<br />
When books are available from another seller, the link will take you to a source of more information. These links are shown below. (Clicking on the buttons here will take you to these sites' home pages.)<br />
<br />
::[[File:BoWbutton.1.GIF|link=http://www.booksofwonder.com/]] [http://www.booksofwonder.com Books of Wonder], publishers and sellers of many Oz books and products. Their reprints of the Baum Oz books are highly recommended.<br />
<br />
::[[File:dramaticpublishing.GIF|link=http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/]] [http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/index.html Dramatic Publishing], purveyors of play scripts.<br />
<br />
::[[Dunkiton Press]] reprints short stories by Ruth Plumly Thompson and other Oz authors, and pictures by many Oz illustrators, in its annual anthology. They have also printed two addenda to ''Who's Who in Oz''.<br />
<br />
::[[File:htpbutton.jpg|link=http://www.hungrytigerpress.com/]] [http://www.hungrytigerpress.com/ Hungry Tiger Press], publishers of new short Oz stories and obscure Oziana and Baumiana. ([http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=%22Hungry+Tiger+Press%22&sts=t&x=30&y=6 Click here] to look for their products at ABE Books.)<br />
<br />
::[[File:ozclubbutton.GIF|link=http://shop.ozclub.org/]] [http://shop.ozclub.org/ The International Wizard of Oz Club], who have reprinted many Oz books and published new Oz stories as well. ([http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=%22International+Wizard+of+Oz+Club%22&sts=t&x=-839&y=-95 Click here] to look for their products at ABE Books.)<br />
<br />
::[[File:lulu-logo.gif|link=http://www.lulu.com/]] [http://www.lulu.com/ Lulu Self Publishing], which many Oz fans are now using to print their own books or reprint works in public domain.<br />
<br />
::[[File:pigletpress.gif|link=http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/]] [http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/ Piglet Press], producers of new audio performances of the Oz books. Their site also includes an extensive online Oz encyclopedia.<br />
<br />
::[[File:toclaf.jpg|link=https://sites.google.com/site/cowardlylionsite/Home]] [https://sites.google.com/site/cowardlylionsite/Home Tails of the Cowardly Lion and Friends], publishers and distributors of many, many new Oz stories. ([http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=%22Buckethead+Enterprises%22&sts=t&x=39&y=14 Click here] or [http://affiliates.abebooks.com/c/60106/77798/2029?u=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=%22Tails+of+the+Cowardly+Lion%22&sts=t&x=40&y=2 here] to look for their products at ABE Books.)<br />
<br />
::[[File:tototooinc.gif|link=http://tototooinc.com/]] [http://tototooinc.com/ Toto Too, Inc.], distributors of the Oz works of Roger S. Baum, one of L. Frank Baum's great-grandsons. Order through this site and your books will be autographed.<br />
<br />
Please note that many of these books are out-of-print or hard to find. While Amazon.com does have an out-of-print search service for such books, you may want to try other sources as well. [[Where to buy Oz books|This link]] will take you to some online resources that might be of help.<br />
<br />
To comment on or ask questions about this bookshop, [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info click here] to send me an e-mail. (I can not buy old books from you, however, nor am I qualified to appraise books. For information about the age or value of older books or other items, please [[Oz FAQ|see my FAQ]].)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:Colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 1|Aisle 1 — The Oz books of L. Frank Baum]]</big><br>The books that started it all. The fourteen Oz novels by the original Royal Historian of Oz (including numerous versions of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''), and other stories Baum wrote about Oz.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 2|Aisle 2 — The "Official" Oz books by other authors]]</big><br>The rest of the Oz series, by Royal Historians Ruth Plumly Thompson, John R. Neill, Jack Snow, Rachel Cosgrove Payes, and Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw. Includes many of their Oz writings outside of the series, plus other Oz contributions by Royal Illustrator W. W. Denslow.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 3|Aisle 3 — Other Oz books]]</big><br>Many other writers have tried their hand at writing Oz stories outside of the regular series. Here is a wide selection of those that are currently available.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 4|Aisle 4 — Non-Oz books by Oz authors and illustrators]]</big><br>The Royal Historians of Oz wrote other works as well. Many of L. Frank Baum's works were even tied into the Oz series. You can purchase some of what they've written here.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 5|Aisle 5 — Oz comics and graphic novels]]</big><br>For those who prefer a more visual approach to their storytelling. From all-ages adaptations of the book to more grown-up fare.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 6|Aisle 6 — Non-fiction, reference, and biography]]</big><br>Books and publications about Oz and its authors. Much of the information on this website came from these books.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 7|Aisle 7 — The Movie]]</big><br>It's the most watched movie in history, so of course there are many books about it. From the movie on video, scripts, music, and behind-the-scenes books, to postcards and cookbooks, if it's about The Movie, it's here.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 8|Aisle 8 — Toys, Games, Activity Books, and Adaptations]]</big><br>These products are specially selected for the kid in us all. Adaptations, pop-up books, coloring and activity books, books you cut up and make things with, and other fun stuff.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 9|Aisle 9 — Electronics and software]]</big><br>If you want to enjoy Oz on your computer or by other electronic means, this is the aisle you need to take a look at.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 10|Aisle 10 — Dramatic Presentations]]</big><br>You don't have to just read Oz, you can watch it on your DVD player or VCR, listen to it on your cassette or CD player, or see it on the stage. Find many of them here, as well as books and other items about them.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 11|Aisle 11 — Clothes, Accessories, Jewelry, Food, and Home Décor]]</big><br>Now you can show off Oz on your clothes, how you decorate your home, and how you eat.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 12|Aisle 12 — Miscellane-Oz]]</big><br>All of the rest, items that don't quite fit into any of the other aisles. Includes maps, non-Oz books with major Oz references, and lots of other surprises.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>[[Aisle 13|Aisle 13 — You might also like...]]</big><br>None of these stories have to do with Oz, but they are in a similar vein, and you might also find them enjoyable. All are books appropriate for children of all ages.</center><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<center><big>New and Seasonal Items</big></center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
'''''Oziana'' 2025'''. The International Wizard of Oz Club's annual anthology of original Oz fiction.<br />
<br />
*Magazine<br>[[File:lulu-logo.gif|link=https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4]]<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
'''2027 ''Wizard of Oz'' Wall Calendar'''. Spend the whole year with screen grabs from The Movie.<br />
<br />
*Calendar<br>[[File:amazon-com-logo.gif|link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4MDYNP/thewonderwizardo/]] [[File:amazon-ca-logo.gif|link=http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4MDYNP/thewonderwi0a-20]] [[File:amazon-uk-logo.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4MDYNP/270]]<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
'''2027 ''Wicked: For Good'' Wall Calendar'''. Spend the whole year with screen grabs from the 2025 movie retelling of Act 2 of the musical.<br />
<br />
*Calendar<br>[[File:amazon-com-logo.gif|link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4V26TD/thewonderwizardo/]] [[File:amazon-ca-logo.gif|link=http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4V26TD/thewonderwi0a-20]] [[File:amazon-uk-logo.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0GV4V26TD/270]]<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=Main_Page]]<br />
<center>[[Main Page|"There's no place like the home page."]]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11686Oz News2026-07-12T03:16:49Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* February 2, 2026: The Baum Bugle Winter 2025 Issue and Oziana 2025 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".<br />
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".<br />
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.<br />
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.<br />
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz".<br />
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.<br />
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.<br />
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11685Oz News2026-07-11T03:58:50Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* February 2, 2026: The Baum Bugle Winter 2025 Issue and Oziana 2025 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all><br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.<br />
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''.<br />
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".<br />
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.<br />
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".<br />
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".<br />
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it.<br />
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.<br />
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025.<br />
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''.<br />
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''.<br />
<br />
More about this issue will be coming soon.<br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11684Oz News2026-07-09T23:56:30Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11683Oz News2026-07-09T23:55:46Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|250 px|left]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11682Oz News2026-07-09T23:55:16Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|left]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=File:Lyle_Conway.webp&diff=11681File:Lyle Conway.webp2026-07-09T23:53:49Z<p>Ericgjovaag: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11680Oz News2026-07-09T23:53:17Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11679OzWiki:Current events2026-07-09T22:55:41Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked play, around the world */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina===<br />
'''Now through July 12, 2026: Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Land of Oz Park, Beech Mountain, North Carolina.''' After a year off, the Land of Oz park in North Carolina is back, debuting a new event this summer. The neighbors have a new barn, so Aunt Em and Dorothy are throwing a celebratory tea party, and you're invited. But some nosy neighbors may show up! For more information and to sign up for access, visit https://landofoznc.com/tea-with-dorothy.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11678Oz News2026-07-08T23:29:00Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* April 30, 2026: The Baum Bugle Spring 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award==<br />
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating, operating, and voicing the Gump in ''Return to Oz'', has passed away. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11677Oz News2026-07-08T23:26:04Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* June 21, 2025: The Winkie Award */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating, operating, and voicing the Gump in ''Return to Oz'', has passed away. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&diff=11676Oz News2026-07-08T23:24:00Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked and Wicked: For Good Accolades and Awards */</p>
<hr />
<div>(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please [mailto:wizard@thewizardofoz.info e-mail me].)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center><br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
(For more Oz news, check out [http://ozmapolitan.spaces.msn.com/PersonalSpace.aspx The Daily Ozmopolitan]. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the [[#Rumor Control|Rumor Control]] section of this page.)<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026==<br />
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026==<br />
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026==<br />
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026==<br />
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.<br />
<br />
([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026==<br />
Actor Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026==<br />
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator whose interpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' was published in 1989, passed away today at the age of 77. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP==<br />
Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating, operating, and voicing the Gump in ''Return to Oz'', has passed away. We will have an update soon.<br />
<br />
([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. Look for more on this issue in the coming days. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. Look for more on this issue in the coming days as well. <br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==<br />
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie.<br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
<br />
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle.<br />
* The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985.<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin:<br />
** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.<br />
** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:<br />
*** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.<br />
*** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.<br />
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".<br />
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".<br />
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''".<br />
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.<br />
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".<br />
* Noted in "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell.<br />
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.<br />
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' Accolades and Awards==<br />
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.<br />
<br />
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:<br />
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)<br />
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley<br />
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review<br />
** Best Film: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande<br />
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)<br />
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards<br />
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')<br />
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman<br />
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:<br />
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida<br />
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival<br />
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association<br />
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society<br />
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards<br />
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''<br />
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''<br />
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards<br />
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande<br />
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman<br />
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson<br />
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards<br />
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande<br />
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley<br />
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic<br />
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes<br />
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society<br />
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards<br />
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton<br />
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards<br />
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''<br />
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 11, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey<br />
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein<br />
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''<br />
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]<br />
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:<br />
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''<br />
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda<br />
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"<br />
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)<br />
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey<br />
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode<br />
* November 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)<br />
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu<br />
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)<br />
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)<br />
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould<br />
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association<br />
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande<br />
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"<br />
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)<br />
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande<br />
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott<br />
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"<br />
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu<br />
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell<br />
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales<br />
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo<br />
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards<br />
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked''<br />
* March 10, 2025: Queerties<br />
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey<br />
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good''<br />
<br />
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:<br />
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)<br />
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")<br />
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)<br />
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special<br />
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program<br />
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==<br />
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==<br />
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.<br />
<br />
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==<br />
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1). <br />
<br />
In this issue:<br />
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.<br />
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".<br />
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.<br />
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":<br />
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.<br />
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.<br />
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"<br />
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.<br />
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.<br />
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".<br />
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".<br />
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".<br />
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".<br />
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).<br />
* In "The Bugle Review":<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.<br />
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".<br />
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.<br />
<br />
Also included with this issue:<br />
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.<br />
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.<br />
<br />
<br clear=all><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==<br />
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.<br />
<br />
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:<br />
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:<br />
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"<br />
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"<br />
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:<br />
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"<br />
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"<br />
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:<br />
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"<br />
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 21, 2025: The Winkie Award==<br />
Tonight, OzCon International gave its highest honor, the Winkie Award, to Sam Milazzo. The award recognizes all of the contributions Sam has made to the convention over the past few years, with presentations, panels, and generally helping out.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Rumor Control==<br />
(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:<br />
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.<br />
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.<br />
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.<br />
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'', using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the ''extreme'' negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:<br />
<br />
*''The Road to Oz'', a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports [http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/06/eddie-redmayne-wizard-of-oz-author-l-frank-baum here] and [http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/eddie-redmayne-to-play-author-l-frank-baum-in-biopic-road-to-oz-268 here].)<br />
*''Dark Oz 3-D'', based on the old Caliber comic book.<br />
*A non-musical, faithful adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' from New Line and [http://www.templehillent.com/ Temple Hill].<br />
*''The Oz Wars'', which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.<br />
*John Boorman's [http://www.actionsynthese.com/index2.php?language=en animated adaptation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''] seems to be on track for release &mdash; in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a [http://www.filmireland.net/2011/03/16/interview-with-john-boorman/ recent interview], Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)<br />
*''Oz: Return to the Emerald City'' was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.<br />
*[http://www.independentstoriesinc.com/WonderfulWizard.htm ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.<br />
*[http://valleywind.com/legendofoz/ ''Legend of Oz''], a modern retelling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.<br />
*[http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2010/06/16/are-the-polish-brothers-planning-their-own-trip-to-oz/ ''Oz''], a new telling of ''The Wizard of Oz''.<br />
*A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.<br />
*[http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/european-film-market/mcnamara-to-direct-young-santa/5066468.article ''Young Santa'']., based on L. Frank Baum's book ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' and directed by Sean McNamara.<br />
*''How the Wizard Came to Oz'', based on two books by Donald Abbott.<br />
*Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography ''Get Happy'' may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.<br />
<br />
And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-horizon-turn-oz-fantasy-420517 ''Red Brick Road''], a television series continuation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the style of ''Game of Thrones''. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.<br />
*[http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/cbs-developing-wizard-of-oz-themed-medical-drama-from-timbermanbeverly/ ''Dorothy''], an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS<br />
*[http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Tim-Kring-Developing-Wizard-Oz-Drama-Dorothy-Must-Die-CW-58899.html ''Dorothy Must Die''], in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.<br />
*''Warriors of Oz'', a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.<br />
* A ''Wicked'' television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
No, Peter Jackson is ''not'' producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31184 stories like this]...<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:<br />
<br />
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)<br />
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)<br />
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.<br />
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)<br />
*''Somewhere'' starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.<br />
*''Pamela West'', where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.<br />
*''The Land of Oz'' (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries ''Tin Man''.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.<br />
*''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus'' from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.<br />
*A Bollywood adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in India.<br />
*A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) ''Oz'' video game.<br />
*Geoff Ryman's ''Was''.<br />
<br />
If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, ''Tin Man'' was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)<br />
<br />
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Home.gif|center|link=http://thewizardofoz.info]]<br />
<center>[http://thewizardofoz.info "There's no place like the home page."]</center></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11675OzWiki:Current events2026-07-07T23:35:48Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* After Oz, Manila, The Philippines */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** July 8-August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina===<br />
'''Now through July 12, 2026: Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Land of Oz Park, Beech Mountain, North Carolina.''' After a year off, the Land of Oz park in North Carolina is back, debuting a new event this summer. The neighbors have a new barn, so Aunt Em and Dorothy are throwing a celebratory tea party, and you're invited. But some nosy neighbors may show up! For more information and to sign up for access, visit https://landofoznc.com/tea-with-dorothy.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9QeymvAwy8?si=XRyvWLlU5dUqaMJX" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''July 13, 2026: ''Alma in Oz: The Musical'', PBS Stations throughout the United States.''' The PBS series ''Alma's Way'' presents a new musical episode that takes the title character from her home in the Bronx to Oz. The episode premieres on July 13, and will likely then be available through the PBS Passport app. To find your local PBS station and when the episode airs in your area, visit https://www.pbs.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11674OzWiki:Current events2026-07-06T00:19:54Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Wicked play, around the world */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** July 8-August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Austria with a revival premiering September 18 at the Bühne Baden. For more information, visit https://www.buehnebaden.at/en/productions/wicked/6391 (site is in German and English).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina===<br />
'''Now through July 12, 2026: Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Land of Oz Park, Beech Mountain, North Carolina.''' After a year off, the Land of Oz park in North Carolina is back, debuting a new event this summer. The neighbors have a new barn, so Aunt Em and Dorothy are throwing a celebratory tea party, and you're invited. But some nosy neighbors may show up! For more information and to sign up for access, visit https://landofoznc.com/tea-with-dorothy.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11673OzWiki:Current events2026-07-04T00:47:05Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through July 5, 2026: [https://ticketomaha.com/Productions/wicked Orpheum Theater], Omaha, Nebraska<br />
** July 8-August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina===<br />
'''Now through July 12, 2026: Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Land of Oz Park, Beech Mountain, North Carolina.''' After a year off, the Land of Oz park in North Carolina is back, debuting a new event this summer. The neighbors have a new barn, so Aunt Em and Dorothy are throwing a celebratory tea party, and you're invited. But some nosy neighbors may show up! For more information and to sign up for access, visit https://landofoznc.com/tea-with-dorothy.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie''…and ''Wicked''! For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaaghttp://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=OzWiki:Current_events&diff=11672OzWiki:Current events2026-06-22T02:29:01Z<p>Ericgjovaag: /* June 2026 */</p>
<hr />
<div>Other Oz events can also be found on [https://www.ozclub.org/calendar/ the International Wizard of Oz Club's online calendar].<br />
<br />
Please note that, since I live in the United States and most Oz events take place in the United States, I will identify most event locations by city and state only. Any events taking place in other countries will include the name of the country as well.<br />
<br />
==Going on now==<br />
===''Wicked'' play, around the world===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Wicked''.''' This is the award-winning musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. The book is by Winnie Holzman, the music by Stephen Schwartz, and the show is directed by Joe Mantello. It has done so well, it has spawned the following productions:<br />
<br />
* [http://www.gershwintheatre.com/ Gershwin Theater], Broadway, New York City, New York. Tickets may be purchased online at [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/24579 ticketmaster.com]. For more details, go to [http://wickedthemusical.com/ wickedthemusical.com].<br />
<br />
* The Apollo Victoria Theatre, The West End, London, England, United Kingdom. For more information, including booking tickets, see http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' is also touring the United States and Canada. For more information and updates about the tour, see [https://tour.wickedthemusical.com/?_gl=1*mot6tj*_gcl_au*OTIwMTMwNzA1LjE3NzQ4NDE5NjY.*_ga*MTY0MzQ2MzM1Ni4xNzc0ODQxOTY2*_ga_DGMCRNLESF*czE3NzU2OTIzOTAkbzIkZzAkdDE3NzU2OTIzOTckajUzJGwwJGgyNzM2OTIyMzI. the tour website]. Here's the current schedule (locations and dates are subject to change):<br />
** Now through July 5, 2026: [https://ticketomaha.com/Productions/wicked Orpheum Theater], Omaha, Nebraska<br />
** July 8-August 9, 2026: [https://hennepinarts.org/events/wicked Orpheum Theatre], Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
** August 12-30, 2026: [https://kansascity.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Music Hall], Kansas City, Missouri<br />
** September 2-20, 2026: [https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/wicked Des Moines Civic Center], Des Moines, Iowa<br />
** September 23-November 15, 2026: [https://boston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ Citizens Opera House], Boston, Massachusetts<br />
** November 18-December 6, 2026: [https://www.tangercenter.com/wicked Tanger Center for the Performing Arts], Greensboro, North Carolina<br />
** December 9, 2026-January 3, 2027: [https://www.playhousesquare.org/events/detail/wicked-3 KeyBank State Theatre], Cleveland, Ohio<br />
** January 6-31, 2027: [https://www.drphillipscenter.org/events/tickets/2027/wicked/ Dr. Phillips Center], Orlando, Florida<br />
** February 3-28, 2027: [https://www.strazcenter.org/events/2627-season/broadway/wicked/ Straz Center], Tampa, Florida<br />
** March 3-28, 2027: [https://atlanta.broadway.com/shows/wicked/ Fox Theatre], Atlanta, Georgia<br />
** March 31-April 18, 2027: [https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/wicked-2027 Durham Performing Arts Center], Durham, North Carolina<br />
** April 21-May 9, 2027: [https://www.peacecenter.org/events/detail/27-wicked Peace Center], Greenville, South Carolina<br />
** May 12-30, 2027: [https://www.fabulousfox.com/events/detail/wicked The Fabulous Fox], St. Louis, Missouri<br />
** June 2-20, 2027: [https://sanantonio.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Majestic Theatre], San Antonio, Texas<br />
** June 23-July 25, 2027: [https://houston.broadway.com/shows/wicked-2/ The Hobby Center], Houston, Texas<br />
** July 28-August 15, 2027: [https://www.capa.com/productions/wicked/ The Ohio Theatre], Columbus, Ohio<br />
<br />
* A non-reproduction staging is now running at the Teatr Muzyczny ROMA in Warsaw, Poland. For more information, see https://www.teatrroma.pl/spektakl/wicked/.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: El Musical'' is now running at El Nuevo Teatro Alcalá in Madrid, Spain. See https://wickedelmusical.com/ (site is in Spanish) for more information.<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked: A História Não Contada Das Bruxas de Oz'' returns to Brazil July 15, playing for the first time in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit https://www.wickedbrasil.com/ (site is in Portuguese).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' will make its Hungarian premiere at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest, running August 14-24, 2026. For information, see https://szegediszabadteri.jegy.hu/program/wicked-182775 (in Hungarian).<br />
<br />
* ''Wicked'' returns to Finland on September 1 with a production at the Tampere Workers' Theatre in Tampere. For more information, visit https://ttt-teatteri.fi/program/wicked/ (site is in Finnish).<br />
<br />
* The Japanese production will be returning to the JR East Shibi Theatre in Tokyo in early summer 2027. See more about ''Wicked'' in Japan at https://www.shiki.jp/applause/wicked/ (site is in Japanese with some translated pages).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ozmafia'' anime series, on the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ozmafia'' anime series, crunchyroll.com.''' In this Japanese anime series (based on the video game of the same name), Scarlet is a new transfer student at Oz Academy. He doesn't get off to a good start, but the teachers seem nice enough. But what strange secrets are hiding at Oz Academy, and why are they at war with the other academies? Episodes (in Japanese, with English subtitles) are available to view online at http://www.crunchyroll.com/ozmafia for free.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''The Wiz'', throughout the United Kingdom===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'', throughout the United Kingdom.''' Oz is a popular show to perform in the United Kingdom, and there always seems to be a show going on somewhere. For a complete listing of all upcoming productions of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in the United Kingdom, see the listings at [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The List''], naturally. They also have listings for performances of [http://www.list.co.uk/events/theatre/what:The%20Wiz/sort:date/show:100/ ''The Wiz''].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com===<br />
'''''Emerald City'' television series, NBC.com''' The latest Oz TV project has gone through its broadcast run on NBC. But the show's website is still up at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city. You can still watch episodes online at http://www.nbc.com/emerald-city/episodes, and the show is also streaming on Peacock.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', Internet Streaming and Cablecast===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'' cartoon series, Internet Streaming.''' This is the latest Oz cartoon series, based (very loosely) on the famous 1939 film version. Dorothy is now a princess of Oz and living in the Emerald City with Queen Ozma. But she's still having adventures! For more information, see the show's website at https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series/volume-1. Or, if you have the Boomerang or Cartoon Network cable channels, episodes are now being shown in territories around the world, outside the United States, also have the show, so check your local version of the Cartoon Network, Boomerang, or Max channels or websites.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Lost in Oz'' series, Internet streaming===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Lost in Oz'', Amazon Video streaming.''' This animated series from Amazon tells the story of Dorothy, a modern-day girl, and her dog Toto, who are whisked to Oz when Dorothy opens one of her mother's old journals. To get home, she must find the elements of magic and help restore magic to Oz. Fortunately she has made friends with Ojo the Munchkin and West, a trainee witch, to help her out. To get started, see Amazon's ''Lost in Oz'' website at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI! And in November of 2022, [https://www.youtube.com/embed/h4fc1XvdBrk this short was dropped] with news of what's to come.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ep1PboP76WE?si=KJjk11_FbHjPJUE2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', Netflix worldwide.''' The streaming service has announced their new shows for 2024, including ''Dee & Friends in Oz'', an animated musical series aimed at preschoolers. Dee is a young girl who discovers a key to the magical land of Oz, where she makes friends and has has adventures where she saves the day. Want a sneak peek? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAZCfmc0mQ&ab_channel=NetflixJr. Here's the first episode!]<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: The ''Chronicles of Oz'' podcast.''' This audio adaptation of the first three Oz books, each in six episodes, presents ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', plus a special episode adapting ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. Produced by Crossover Adventure Productions out of Australia. All episodes, along with trailers and other materials, can be downloaded at http://chroniclesofoz.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', the Internet===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''The Royal Podcast of Oz'', podbean.com and other podcasting sites.''' Now running for over a decade, this podcast is devoted to all things Oz, with interviews, reviews, news, and other items of interest to Oz fans of all types. You can listen to or download all editions at https://anchor.fm/the-royal-podcast-of-oz/, or look for it on your favorite podcast site.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'', National Public Radio===<br />
'''Now streaming: ''Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me'' edition of May 11, 2019, npr.org.''' The popular current events quiz show recorded this episode in St. Louis, and got one of the city's most celebrated residents to play "Not My Job". Former Cardinals shortstop and Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith was nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz" in his playing days, so naturally, he gets to answer questions about ''The Wizard of Oz''! You can listen to the entire episode [https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/722132214/wait-wait-for-may-11-2019-with-not-my-job-guest-ozzie-smith?showDate=2019-05-11 here], or just Smith's segment [https://www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721853591/not-my-job-we-quiz-baseball-great-ozzie-smith-on-the-wizard-of-oz here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Hit the Bricks!'' podcast, the Internet.''' One hundred years after the events of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', the Gale farm is abandoned, and a new generation is off to have adventures in Oz. The first act has now dropped, with further episodes to come. For more information, see the show's website at https://hitthebricks.com/, and its Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/HitTheBricksPod/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast, "The Podcast of Oz", the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: "The Podcast of Oz" episode of ''The Smallwood Sessions'' podcast.''' To celebrate what would have been the 2020 edition of Chittenango's Oz-Stravaganza, this podcast about upstate New York celebrates Oz and creator L. Frank Baum's connections to the area. To listen, go to https://anchor.fm/josh-taylor87/episodes/Episode-22-The-Podcast-of-Oz-ef05f4.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Down the Yellow Brick Pod'' podcast.''' This podcast takes a deep dive into the Oz books, one chapter at a time, and looks at all that they encompass. Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xMTcyMTM4LnJzcw?hl=en this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wonderful Recap of Oz'' podcast.''' This podcast recaps the Oz books, one per episode. Available Available on many podcast sources, including Google Podcasts, and through [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80ZjgyMWIyYy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== this link].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''No Place Like Home'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''No Place Like Home'' podcast.''' This podcast looks at the Ruby Slippers, how they were stolen in 2005 and found again in 2018, and all the background behind them, the production of The Movie, the life of Judy Garland, and more. Available on most podcasting sites. For more information, the show's website is at https://shows.cadence13.com/podcast/noplacelikehome.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast, the Internet===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' podcast.''' A new, original Oz story for kids (of all ages), told in six parts, with songs, and presented by the Delaware Children's Theatre. Although based on Baum's writings, this is not the same story as his novel ''The Lost Princess of Oz''. For more information, or to subscribe, see the show's website at https://www.thelostprincessofozpodcast.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio broadcast, BBC World Service===<br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz: A Homegrown American Fairy Tale'' radio documentary, BBC World Service and online streaming.''' This program looks at the origins and mythology of ''The Wizard of Oz'' and how it came about. It is currently available to listen or download online, anywhere in the world. Check the program's website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct1rl9 to listen to it online, or to download it.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===To Oz? To Oz! online convention, the Internet===<br />
'''To Oz? To Oz! online convention.''' With so many Oz events having to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bunch of them got together to present some of their events to a worldwide, online audience for free. The live portions of the convention have now ended, but if you go to https://ozis.us/, you can see many prerecorded talks and events.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The OzConnection, YouTube===<br />
'''The OzConnection, YouTube.''' OzCon International, the world's longest running ''Wizard of Oz'' convention, now has a YouTube channel at "The OzConnection", which features highlights of earlier cons and new material. The link is at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQU5pEFZZ6n_vXvRalgclSg.<br />
<br />
The OzConnection has recently started two shows specifically for their channel. The first is a talk show called "OZ:Connect", which you can find in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NAe0FKDXk&list=PLVNfENfXbx111GmnLLJFklUVGxPl1zUC-. The other new show is "Crypto-Oz-ology", short stories about all kinds of unusual happenings in Oz, which is in a playlist at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCoSH97u4ts&list=PLVNfENfXbx11g0DhXikoqyP0dslwHeC1h. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz Talk, YouTube===<br />
'''''Oz Talk'' panel talk show, YouTube.''' Join five Oz friends as they discuss any and all Oz subjects under the sun. New episodes will drop every two weeks on [https://www.youtube.com/c/TheOfficialOzClub/videos the Official Oz Club's YouTube Channel]. You can find the playlist for ''Oz Talk'' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNINbbefPS4&list=PL3OVMLWgINCRfgeWZR8GPJOp11rR73Ssc.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Fifty Years of Oziana'' Readings, Youtube===<br />
'''''Fifty Years of Oziana'' short story readings, YouTube.''' To celebrate fifty years of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's annual literary magazine, Club members read stories from the last five decades. Many authors have even revisited their own stories. You can see the playlist of all stories [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm6WXDLg9U8&list=PL3OVMLWgINCQ2a_CDuBggCt7kCYVaS4yD right here].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Rainbow'' movie, Netflix===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66etEocjp3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''Rainbow'', on Netflix worldwide.''' The first streaming service premieres this new movie, from director Paco León, that uses themes and imagery from ''The Wizard of Oz'' to explore the coming of age of Dora, a young Spanish woman who finds that everything she thought she knew about her life may be wrong. Available in an English dub, or with English subtitles.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wizard of Oz Experience.''' The interactive outdoors event will be making another set of appearances around the United States, Canada, and Australia in the spring of 2024. Take a look at https://questoapp.com/ for when it's coming to your town.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience, Around the World===<br />
'''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Experience.''' This "outdoor escape room" adventure is available to play from I'm Puzzled in cities all over the world. For more information, visit https://im-puzzled.com/pages/our-experiences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, London, England, United Kingdom===<br />
'''The Wicked Wizard Afternoon Tea, The Franklin Hotel, London, England, United Kingdom.''' Enjoy an Oz-themed tea, inspired by ''The Wizard of Oz'' and ''Wicked'', in the heart of London's Knightsbridge district. Tea is served from noon to 6:00, costs £49 (spirits are extra), and reservations must be made at least twenty-four hours in advance. For more information, including the menu, see [https://collezione.starhotels.com/en/our-hotels/the-franklin-london/restaurants-and-bars/wicked-wizard-at-the-franklin.html?_gl=1*1cfuckg*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..*_ga*MzU1MjIzMDI0LjE3NDE1NzY0NjA.*_ga_444Y1N2CEK*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuMTkzNzQwNjk0Nw..*_ga_YXSDGTQ8NB*MTc0MTU3NjQ1OC4xLjEuMTc0MTU3NjU3NS4wLjAuNDIxNjUwMTc1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlbW-BhCMARIsADnwasphX4BQH4lMNEKBognzeTmjcu96bA-ZlcDfhhU2ouaxc5CgyV41YLMaAjUfEALw_wcB the Franklin's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu===<br />
'''Now playing: ''Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes'', Hulu Streaming Service.''' This ABC News documentary delves into the 2005 theft of a pair of Ruby Slippers in Minnesota and the subsequent investigation and recovery. Take a look at https://www.hulu.com/series/4dd523b6-cfb6-4d4f-99c8-9febd2e4af68.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', Las Vegas, Nevada===<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gpwcaNyIrY?si=CFTEJDlvFITn5yR-" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
'''Now playing: ''The Wizard of Oz'' at the Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada.''' See the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in a whole new way. This is an immersive reimagining in 16K on a huge screen surrounding the audience. For more information and to buy tickets, go to https://www.thesphere.com/shows/wizard-of-oz-experience.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world===<br />
'''Candlelight: ''The Wizard of Oz'' concerts, around the world.''' In conjunction with Warner Bros., Candlelight is presenting songs from the famous movie version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' in venues around the world amidst a sea of flickering candles. For more information or to locate a concert, see the website at https://candlelightexperience.com/wizard-of-oz-concerts/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Beech Mountain, North Carolina===<br />
'''Now through July 12, 2026: Tea with Dorothy and Aunt Em, Land of Oz Park, Beech Mountain, North Carolina.''' After a year off, the Land of Oz park in North Carolina is back, debuting a new event this summer. The neighbors have a new barn, so Aunt Em and Dorothy are throwing a celebratory tea party, and you're invited. But some nosy neighbors may show up! For more information and to sign up for access, visit https://landofoznc.com/tea-with-dorothy.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''Now through October 3, 2026: ''Wicked Oz Brunch'', Le Faux Seattle at Julia's on Broadway, Seattle, Washington.''' Oz is reinterpreted for brunch by Seattle's premier drag theater production company. Shows are every Saturday, starting at either 12:00 noon or 1:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.juliasonbroadway.com/, or https://www.simpletix.com/e/wicked-oz-brunch-tickets-256115 to purchase tickets.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Los Angeles, California===<br />
'''Now through January 10, 2027: Stories of Cinema: Identity exhibit, Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California.''' The Academy Museum has brought its pair of Ruby Slippers back for the public to view. This exhibit also includes costumes and design studies from such movies as ''Flower Drum Song'', ''Dreamgirls'', ''Moulin Rouge!'', ''Amadeus'', ''Ma Raimey's Black Bottom'', ''Barbie'', and ''Wicked''. For more information, see the museum's website at https://www.academymuseum.org/en/exhibitions/stories-of-cinema-identity.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==July 2026==<br />
===''After Oz'', Manila, The Philippines===<br />
'''July 10, 2026: ''After Oz'' concert, Samsung Performing Arts Center, Manila, The Philippines.''' Join Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm, two Filipina actresses who have both performed in ''Wicked'', in a concert celebrating Broadway and the theater's fourth anniversary. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/Show.aspx?sh=AFTEROZ26.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==August 2026==<br />
===Oz Festival Illinois, Mapleton, Illinois===<br />
'''August 8, 2026: Oz Fest Illinois, Butler Haynes Park, Mapleton, Illinois.'''. For more information, see the event's website at https://www.hollispark.org/oz-fest, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OzFestIllinois/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==September 2026==<br />
===Autumn at Oz Party, Banner Elk, North Carolina===<br />
'''September 11-13, 18-20, and 25-27, 2026: Autumn at Oz Party, Beech Mountain, Banner Elk, North Carolina.''' The Wizard of Oz Park on the mountain may no longer be in regular operation, but it's still there, and Oz and park fans get together once a year for a party. For more information, check out https://landofoznc.com/autumn-at-oz.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===OzFest, Liberal, Kansas===<br />
'''September 26, 2026: OzFest, Liberal, Kansas.''' The home town of the Dorothy's House attraction hosts its annual tribute to Dorothy and Oz. For more information, see [https://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Ozfest&TravelTo=KS1019015&VE=Y&Event_ID=KS1019015e002 the city's events page] and [http://visitliberal.com/ the city's website] (and be sure to call 1-800-LIBERAL to confirm event and dates).<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==October 2026==<br />
===Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas===<br />
'''October 3, 2026: Oztoberfest, Wamego, Kansas.''' The town not only has an Oz museum, they put on an annual Oz festival. Authors and other special guests will attend, and there's also admission to the museum. For more details, call the Oz museum at 1-866-458-TOTO, or see the event's website at https://www.visitwamego.com/oztoberfest.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==November 2026==<br />
===TeslaCon, Middleton, Wisconsin===<br />
'''November 12-15, 2026: TeslaCon, Marriott of Middleton, Middleton, Wisconsin.''' The country's largest steampunk convention celebrates its sixteenth edition, and this year the theme is Oz. For more information, see the convention's website at https://teslacon.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'' play, Seattle, Washington===<br />
'''November 27-December 27, 2026: ''The Wizard of Oz'', 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington.''' One of the Emerald City's premier theater companies is putting on the Royal Shakespeare Company's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for the holidays this year. For more information or to purchase tickets (currently only available [https://5thavenue.org/subscribe/ via season subscription]), keep an eye on https://5thavenue.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==Holiday Season 2026-27==<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz'', holiday cablecasts===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz'' holiday cablecasts, TBS and TNT.''' The stations' annual holiday season showings of the famous film version are, generally speaking, around Thanksgiving on TBS and Christmas on TNT. Check your local provider for exact times and channels on your system. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts===<br />
'''''The Wiz'' holiday telecasts.''' Channels have holiday time airings of the 1978 film adaptation of ''The Wiz'', starring Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Lena Horne as Glinda, and Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Keep checking back for updates.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel===<br />
'''''If I Only Had Christmas'' television movie, The Hallmark Channel.''' A Hallmark Christmas romance movie, first shown in 2020 and based (extremely loosely) on ''The Wizard of Oz''! Candace Cameron Bure stars as Darcy Gale, a publicist who teams up with Huck, a cynical business owner played by Neil Webb, to help out a charity in need. It airs many times at Christmas, and occasionally at other times throughout the year (check your local television provider for exact time and channel on your system). For more details and a sneak peek behind the scenes, take a look at [https://www.etonline.com/candace-cameron-bure-stars-in-hallmark-channels-if-i-only-had-christmas-first-look-exclusive-154864 the news report on the ''Entertainment Tonight'' website]. And [https://celebratingthesoaps.com/hallmark/hallmark-channel-news-wizard-of-oz-reimagined-candace-cameron-bure-in-if-i-only-had-christmas/ here's another report with another preview]. Finally, [https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/if-i-only-had-christmas here's the movie's page on the channel's website].<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==December 2026==<br />
===''The Wiz'', Yakima, Washington===<br />
'''December 17 and 18, 2026: ''The Wiz'', Capitol Theatre, Yakima, Washington.''' The new production of the Tony Award-winning adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to central Washington in time for the holidays. For more information, visit https://capitoltheatre.org/events/detail.html?calendarid=596.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==January 2027==<br />
===Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II, theaters throughout Russia===<br />
'''January 1, 2027: ''Волшебник Изумрудного города, часть II'', theaters throughout Russia.''' The epic cinematic adaptation of Aleksandr Volkov's version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' comes to Russian theaters. Elli, Totoshka, Strasheela, the Iron Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion have reached the Emerald City. But will they meet the Wizard? What price will he ask from them to grant their wishes? Here's the teaser trailer:<br />
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZ6VbuhJQUU?si=hSGg5UdrJcGDGYcZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' on tour===<br />
'''''The Wizard of Oz on Ice''.''' The new, reimagined version of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' is done for this year, and we're all waiting news of a 2027 tour. For more information about the show, see the website at https://wizardofozonice.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==April 2027==<br />
===Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas===<br />
'''April (exact date to be announced), 2027: Garmin Marathon in the Land of Oz, Olathe, Kansas.''' If you're going to have a 26.2-mile run in Kansas, you may as well give it an Oz theme! For more information and to register, see the race's website at http://ozrun.org/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==May 2027==<br />
===Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas===<br />
'''May (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Yellow Brick Road Festival, Sedan, Kansas.''' This town in Kansas celebrates ''The Wizard of Oz'' every year. For details, see http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Sedan&Kansas&Yellow+Brick+Road+Festival&City_ID=KS0604019&Event_ID=KS0604019e002&VE=Y or call 620-725-4033.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==June 2027==<br />
===Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids, Minnesota===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Judy Garland Festival, Judy Garland Museum and environs, Grand Rapids, Minnesota.''' Judy Garland's home town celebrates her in this annual festival (returning after taking 2026 off), with events all over town spread out over several days. For more information, keep an eye on the event's website at https://judygarlandmuseum.com/judy-garland-museum-events/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
===Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York===<br />
'''June (exact dates to be announced), 2027: Oz-Stravaganza, Chittenango, New York.''' This village in upstate New York honors its native son, L. Frank Baum, with an annual festival honoring his creation, the Land of Oz. For more information, see the event's website at http://www.oz-stravaganza.com/.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
==To Be Determined==<br />
===Wizard of Oz Days, Macon, Missouri===<br />
'''Exact date to be announced: Wizard of Oz Days, Hannibal, Missouri.''' For complete details, see the event's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WizardofOzDays.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align:center;">[http://thewizardofoz.info/index.html "There's no place like the home page."]</div></div>Ericgjovaag