Kids Come Free to Wizard of Oz

Woodminster Summer Musicals
Summer 2007 - 41st consecutive season of musical theater under the stars in Oakland’s beautiful Joaquin Miller Park
Press contact: Kathy Kahn, woodminsterpr@yahoo.com, 510-418-8523
Theater contact: Harriet Schlader, harriet@woodminster.com, 510-531-9597
For virtual press room, including high resolution photographs, visit http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/news.html

PRESS RELEASE - For Immediate Release

Chevron Expands
Kids Come Free Program For
Woodminster’s “The Wizard of Oz”

Two Kids Can Attend Free for Each Full-Price Adult
On Thursday, Friday, and Sunday Evenings

August 3, 2007 - Oakland, CA - Producers Associates, Inc. announces a special ticket opportunity for families for Woodminster Summer Musicals’ "The Wizard of Oz," playing August 10-19. For selected performances of this production only, Chevron has made it possible for two kids to attend for free with one adult paying full price, instead of the usual one-to-one ratio.

The performances that qualify for this special are Friday August 10, Sunday August 12, Thursday August 16, Friday August 17, and Sunday August 19. In other words, it applies to all performances of “The Wizard of Oz” EXCEPT SATURDAYS.

Saturday performances of “The Wizard of Oz” and all performances of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat” will have the usual “Kids Come Free” program: One adult paying full price can receive one free ticket for a child or teen 16 or younger. Producers Associates has offered this program for the last 15 years to encourage a love of live theatre in the area’s children and make it easier for local families on a limited budget to attend together.

“Kids Come Free” tickets are not reserved in advance; you should present your adult ticket at the box office after 5:30 p.m. on the night of the performance and you will receive a free child's ticket as close to your adult ticket as possible. Or to guarantee that your tickets will be together, purchase your adult ticket on the night of the performance. Full price adult tickets are $23-$36.

Chevron is the major sponsor for “Kids Come Free in 2007” and the sole sponsor for “Kids Come Free to The Wizard of Oz.” Other sponsors who help make this program possible are Target Stores, the Alexander and Baldwin Foundation, and Mechanics Bank.

“The Wizard of Oz” is the second show in the 3-show season, the 41st season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. The July show, “West Side Story,” attracted over 9600 audience members to 7 performances in historic Woodminster Amphitheater.

“The Wizard of Oz” has a cast of 46, including 21 children ages 4-14 who portray the Munchkins, and a small dog. The leading role of Dorothy is played by 15 year old Rachel Wagner of Castro Valley, and the supporting role of the Wicked Witch of the West by retired Skyline High School drama teacher Virginia Buckner. All other leading roles are played by professional (Actors Equity Association) actors: Greg Carlson as the Cowardly Lion, Stu Klitzner as the Wizard, Robert Moorhead as the Tin Man, Stephanie Rhoads as Glinda, and John Tichenor as the Scarecrow.

After "The Wizard of Oz" August 10-19, Woodminster's 41st season will continue with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat” September 7-16.

Producers Associates, Inc. was founded in 1967 by James and Harriet Schlader to provide affordable live summer family entertainment in the East Bay, and to foster a love of live theatre. For the last 41 years, the organization, in partnership with the Oakland Park and Rec Department, has been producing summer musicals at Woodminster Amphitheater. Today it sells more tickets per year than any other resident performing arts group in the city, and also runs a “Kids Come Free” program that gave away 2700 tickets to children and teens in 2006. For more information, visit http://www.woodminster.com.
-end press release-

Background information here.

AUGUST 2007 -- CALENDAR INFORMATION
WHAT: "The Wizard of Oz," based on the 1939 film, originally adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
PERFORMED BY: Woodminster Summer Musicals by Producers Associates, Inc.
WHERE: Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland
WHEN: August 10-19, 2007
PERFORMANCES: August 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19 - 8 p.m.
TICKETS: 510-531-9597 or www.woodminster.com, $23-$36 ($2 discount for children/seniors)
By L. Frank Baum, with Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg
Background Music by Herbert Stohart
Presented by arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.



PRESS RELEASE: Woodminster Summer Musicals Summer 2007 - 41st consecutive season of musical theater under the stars in Oakland’s beautiful Joaquin Miller Park Press contact: Kathy Kahn, woodminsterpr@yahoo.com, 510-418-8523 Theater contact: Harriet Schlader, harriet@woodminster.com, 510-531-9597 For virtual press room, including high resolution photographs, visit http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/news.html PRESS RELEASE - For Immediate Release Chevron Expands Kids Come Free Program For Woodminster’s “The Wizard of Oz” Two Kids Can Attend Free for Each Full-Price Adult On Thursday, Friday, and Sunday Evenings August 3, 2007 - Oakland, CA - Producers Associates, Inc. announces a special ticket opportunity for families for Woodminster Summer Musicals’ "The Wizard of Oz," playing August 10-19. For selected performances of this production only, Chevron has made it possible for two kids to attend for free with one adult paying full price, instead of the usual one-to-one ratio. The performances that qualify for this special are Friday August 10, Sunday August 12, Thursday August 16, Friday August 17, and Sunday August 19. In other words, it applies to all performances of “The Wizard of Oz” EXCEPT SATURDAYS. Saturday performances of “The Wizard of Oz” and all performances of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat” will have the usual “Kids Come Free” program: One adult paying full price can receive one free ticket for a child or teen 16 or younger. Producers Associates has offered this program for the last 15 years to encourage a love of live theatre in the area’s children and make it easier for local families on a limited budget to attend together. “Kids Come Free” tickets are not reserved in advance; you should present your adult ticket at the box office after 5:30 p.m. on the night of the performance and you will receive a free child's ticket as close to your adult ticket as possible. Or to guarantee that your tickets will be together, purchase your adult ticket on the night of the performance. Full price adult tickets are $23-$36. Chevron is the major sponsor for “Kids Come Free in 2007” and the sole sponsor for “Kids Come Free to The Wizard of Oz.” Other sponsors who help make this program possible are Target Stores, the Alexander and Baldwin Foundation, and Mechanics Bank. “The Wizard of Oz” is the second show in the 3-show season, the 41st season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. The July show, “West Side Story,” attracted over 9600 audience members to 7 performances in historic Woodminster Amphitheater. “The Wizard of Oz” has a cast of 46, including 21 children ages 4-14 who portray the Munchkins, and a small dog. The leading role of Dorothy is played by 15 year old Rachel Wagner of Castro Valley, and the supporting role of the Wicked Witch of the West by retired Skyline High School drama teacher Virginia Buckner. All other leading roles are played by professional (Actors Equity Association) actors: Greg Carlson as the Cowardly Lion, Stu Klitzner as the Wizard, Robert Moorhead as the Tin Man, Stephanie Rhoads as Glinda, and John Tichenor as the Scarecrow. After "The Wizard of Oz" August 10-19, Woodminster's 41st season will continue with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat” September 7-16. Producers Associates, Inc. was founded in 1967 by James and Harriet Schlader to provide affordable live summer family entertainment in the East Bay, and to foster a love of live theatre. For the last 41 years, the organization, in partnership with the Oakland Park and Rec Department, has been producing summer musicals at Woodminster Amphitheater. Today it sells more tickets per year than any other resident performing arts group in the city, and also runs a “Kids Come Free” program that gave away 2700 tickets to children and teens in 2006. For more information, visit http://www.woodminster.com. -end press release- Background information here. AUGUST 2007 -- CALENDAR INFORMATION WHAT: "The Wizard of Oz," based on the 1939 film, originally adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Company. PERFORMED BY: Woodminster Summer Musicals by Producers Associates, Inc. WHERE: Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland WHEN: August 10-19, 2007 PERFORMANCES: August 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19 - 8 p.m. TICKETS: 510-531-9597 or www.woodminster.com, $23-$36 ($2 discount for children/seniors) By L. Frank Baum, with Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg Background Music by Herbert Stohart Presented by arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.	Click on photo to retrieve a high-resolution photo for print. (For even higher resolution, send an email request to the publicist.) See publicity photos here. See candid photos from a Munchkin rehearsal here. Rachel Wagner, a Castro Valley 15-year-old, plays the leading role of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” which continues the 41st season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. The show runs August 10-19 at Woodminster Amphitheater in Oakland’s Joaquin Miller Park. Following the Yellow Brick Road are (L to R) Greg Carlson as the Cowardly Lion, John Tichenor as the Scarecrow, Rachel Wagner as Dorothy, and Robert Moorhead as the Tin Man. “The Wizard of Oz” runs August 10-19 at Woodminster Amphitheater in Oakland’s Joaquin Miller Park.
© 2003-2007 Producers Associates Inc. Woodminster Amphitheater, Joaquin Miller Park 3300 Joaquin Miller Road Oakland, CA 94602 510-531-9597 or 510-531-0671 Fax 510-339-0727 For information about the season or tickets, harriet@woodminster.com. For questions about this website or press information, woodminsterpr@yahoo.com.