Courtesy Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
Go follow the yellow brick road this Friday and see the classic musical “The Wizard of Oz.” As part of Breckenridge Backstage Theatre’s Student Theatrical Enrichment Program, more than 70 Summit County students are performing in the adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s work at the Summit Middle School auditorium.
Started in 2014, the theater’s STEP program offers kids the opportunity to perform in a high-quality musical. Participants receive instruction from theatre professionals in singing, acting, dancing and more as they prepare to mount a full-scale production. The venue is usually at Breckenridge’s Riverwalk Center, but the show has been moved to the middle school — 158 School Road in Frisco — due to flooding.
In 2018, almost 70 youth participated in the program, and attendance at the program’s public performances exceeded 2,000. STEP is tuition-free so that cost is not a barrier for any interested children.
The Friday premiere starts at 7 p.m. with a silent auction beforehand at 5:30. Saturday will have a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7. The performances end Sunday with a matinee at 4 p.m. The show is rated G and is two hours long with an intermission.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children 16 and under. Visit BreckCreate.org to purchase or BackstageTheatre.org for more information.