There’s no place like Curve this Christmas as the theatre’s festive musical The Wizard of Oz is now open.

Running in Leicester until Sunday 8 January 2023, the show is led by Georgina Onuorah as Dorothy, with Leicestershire’s Jonny Fines (Curve’s My Beautiful Laundrette and An Officer and a Gentleman) as Scarecrow, Paul French (Curve’s Grease, Dominion Theatre) as Tin Man and Giovanni Spanó (Bat Out Of Hell, London Coliseum) as Lion. Ben Thompson (101 Dalmatians, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) takes on the role of Dorothy’s canine companion Toto, brought to life on stage using puppetry.

Stage, screen and YouTube sensation Christina Bianco plays Glinda, while Charlotte Jaconelli (Heathers the Musical, Theatre Royal Haymarket and Britain’s Got Talent runner-up) plays the Wicked Witch of the West. Leicester actor Mark Peachey, who first made his Curve debut in the theatre’s community production of Richard III and has recently appeared in Dear Evan Hansen in the West End, takes on the role of Professor Marvel and the Wizard.

Dorothy’s Aunt Em is played by Jacqui Dubois (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, UK tour) and Uncle Henry is played by Geoffrey Aymer, who was last seen on Curve’s stage in the WhatsOnStage Award-winning Made at Curve production of The Color Purple.

The cast is completed by Andrew Dillon, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Martin McCarthy, Ellie Mitchell, Natasha Mould, Mervin Noronha, Amy Oxley, Andrew Patrick-Walker, Christina Shand, Charlotte St. Croix, Tom Watson and Daisy West.

The Made at Curve production of The Wizard of Oz is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, whose recent productions have included the acclaimed Billy Elliot the Musical, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, A Chorus Line and Grease, which recently finished its run at the Dominion Theatre.

This production of The Wizard of Oz marks the regional premiere of the musical which features additional songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, as well as Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s iconic songs from the original MGM film, including ‘Over the Rainbow’, ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’ and ‘We’re Off to see the Wizard’.

The production is choreographed by Shay Barclay, with George Dyer as Musical Director and Musical Supervisor. The spectacular world of Oz is created on Curve’s stage by set designer Colin Richmond, with projection designs by Douglas O’Connell, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, lighting design by Curve Associate Ben Cracknell and sound design by Adam Fisher.

The company has been assembled by Curve Associate Casting Director Kay Magson CDG and the production team also includes Magic Consultant Scott Penrose, Props Supervisor Marcus Hall Props, Costume Supervisor Anna Josephs, Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Designer Elizabeth Marini, Production Manager Patrick Molony, Associate Director Christopher Key, Associate Choreographer Kate Ivory-Jordan, Choreography Supervisor Ebony Molina, Associate Sound Designer Lara Windsor, RTYDS Resident Assistant Director Lilac Yosiphon and Fight Director Jonathan Holby.

Click your heels together three times and say, ‘there’s no place like Curve this Christmas’.

Join Dorothy and Toto as they are swept up from sepia-soaked Kansas and transported over the rainbow to the technicolour wonderland of Oz.

On her adventure down the Yellow Brick Road Dorothy meets new friends Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion who help her on her way, but the villainous and frightfully glamourous Wicked Witch has other plans for Dorothy, and in Oz – nothing is quite as it seems.

Through the deep Dark Forest to the bright neon lights of Emerald City, Dorothy and her friends search for the powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz, the only person who can grant their hearts desires, and maybe even a way home.