Rainbow over Wamego: OZ Museum announces OZtoberFest special guests

Sept 3, 2015

RAINBOW OVER WAMEGO! OZTOBERFEST ANNOUNCES

ITS SPECIAL GUESTS & PRESENTATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 26^th & 27^th!

 If you look back at the blog for August 7^th, you’ll be able to read in detail about the exciting (and I mean EXCITING!) new possessions to be unveiled at The OZ Museum during this year’s OZtoberFest on Saturday, September 26^th and Sunday, September 27^th. In addition to the debut of four dazzling costume pieces, however, the 2015 festival also boasts several very special guests^, who will offer brand-new – and very Ozzy – presentations for Museum visitors. I’m proud and grateful to have the opportunity to share the schedule here!

SATURDAY

10 a.m. OZ TRIVIA! – conducted by JANE ALBRIGHT, life-long collector and long-time officer of The International Wizard of Oz Club, Inc. (ozclub.org)

10:30 a.m. COZTUMES! Designing MGM's THE WIZARD OF OZ -- In honor of The OZ Museum's sensational new acquisitions -- two original Munchkin costumes worn in the classic 1939 Judy Garland movie -- Oz historian/author JOHN FRICKE (that’s me!) will provide an illustrated program about the designs, fabrics, garments, and garb worn by many of the players in the film. You’ll witness the evolution of Adrian's concepts, and see some frighteningly funny (and thankfully discarded) approaches to the now-legendary "look" of everyone's favorite motion picture. Extra Added Attraction: Travel a Yellow Brick Road of memories with uber-special guest, Munchkin-by-Marriage MYRNA SWENSEN, whose husband CLARENCE played a diminutive soldier in OZ.

12 noon STORY TIME -- with THE OZ FRIENDS (And Toto, too!)

1 p.m. RETURN TO OZ! Honoring Disney's Film on Its 30th Anniversary -- For the last few OZtoberFests, our audiences have been ecstatic about the opportunity to revel in the OZ-related red-carpet interviews done by national radio and TV motion picture critic RYAN JAY. He now comes to the festival "in person" for the very first time, and he'll share his extraordinary video history of the 1985 Disney cult film, RETURN TO OZ. RYAN'S presentation includes previously unseen footage and photographs, as well as his exclusive, first-ever OZ interview with EMMA RIDLEY, the lovely actress who appeared in the movie as Princess Ozma. 

3 p.m. STORY TIME -- with THE OZ FRIENDS (And Toto, too!)

4 p.m. JOHNPAUL CAFIERO: The Wizard of The OZ Museum! -- The much-loved Franciscan Priest remembers his family's all-embracing passion for Oz and Oz collecting. He'll tell how it all began for them and remember the joys that led him to share their tens of thousands of items with the Wamego OZ Museum. JP additionally will describe his personal favorite items of his holdings and conduct a question-and-answer session about the many diverse types of Oz collectibles.

SUNDAY

1 p.m. A reprise of RETURN TO OZ! Honoring Disney's Film on Its 30th Anniversary – Please see Saturday’s schedule (at 1 p.m.) for the details.

2:30 p.m. THE SCARECROW OF OZ Centennial Celebration! -- L. Frank Baum's ninth Oz Book was published in 1915 and is now one hundred years old. Enjoy its beloved title character in a newly-assembled mélange of film and television clips from 1910 to 2004, especially prepared and narrated by JOHN FRICKE (me again!). These rare excerpts include moments from both animated cartoons and "live action" versions of the Oz stories and feature such stars as Mickey Rooney, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Shirley Temple, Ben Blue, Sterling Holloway, Oliver Hardy, Judy Garland, Paul Lynde, Liza Minnelli, Bobby Burgess (of the original Mouseketeers and "Lawrence Welk Show" fame), and -- of course -- Ray Bolger.

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All of these entertaining programs will be offered in the comfy Little Theatre of The OZ Museum itself.

So make your plans NOW for the OZZIEST weekend of the autumn, and celebrate L. Frank Baum’s remarkable imagination, creation, and characters in Kansas’ own magic kingdom. I speak for all of us, I know, when I say how much we look forward to this “family reunion” of long-time friends -- along with the opportunity to meet and make new ones!

Article by John Fricke