HYT celebrates home with 'The Wizard of Oz'

Follow the yellow brick road and join Heights Youth Theatre (HYT) for a performance of “The Wizard of Oz” at Heights Middle School (Wiley campus). The show opens on Friday, March 9 and runs through Sunday, March 18.

Treva Offutt directs the show, Stacy Bolton serves as music director, and Jack Ina is stage manager. One hundred Greater Cleveland students, in grades 1 through 12, comprise the cast. The lead cast members are Spencer Skok (Wizard), Victoria Skok (Dorothy), Brian Tuohey (Scarecrow), Keegan Polatz (Tinman), James Berner (Lion), Trinity Offutt Decker (Glinda), Grace Wilkinson (Witch), Grace Hoy (Miss Gulch), Margaretta Milgram (Auntie Em), and Joshua Mink (Uncle Henry). 

“The process of helping the cast bring the music of Oz to life has been joyful and fun. From Dorothy to the Munchkins to the apple-throwing trees, every member of this cast is committed to performing to his or her absolute best, and that is a real treat, especially with such a timeless classic as this. You're definitely in for a treat,” said Bolton.

Offutt said HYT is thrilled to be returning to its theater space at Wiley. “’The Wizard of Oz’ reminds us to give thanks for the spaces and faces that we may take for granted and that we each have the power for change," Offutt said. "At the same time, we have so many new faces and families that have added richness and diversity to our work. There truly is no place like home!”

“The Wizard of Oz” will be performed in the Heights Middle School auditorium, 2181 Miramar Blvd., in University Heights, Friday, March 9 and 16, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 10 and 17, at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, March 11 and 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission ($9 for seniors and children under 6). The box office opens 45 minutes prior to each show. For more information, visit www.heightsyouththeatre.org. For group seating information, call 216-410-7500.

For more than 60 years, HYT has provided quality theater education and live theater performances to thousands of children and families in Greater Cleveland. Founded in 1954, HYT produces as many as four complete musicals per year, offering participants an opportunity to gain valuable experience in theater arts. HYT’s goal is to make theater affordable and accessible to people of all incomes and backgrounds in a nurturing environment that encourages social and emotional growth. If you’re interested in supporting theatrical arts in the Heights, visit www.heightsyouththeatre.org for more information.