Conventions, Festivals, and Special Events
We host a few and attend them all! Meet fellow IWOC members at conventions and public events that offer Wizard of Oz programs, performances and exhibits for fans. For information on Oz Club sponsored conventions, click here. For all other Oz-related events, see below.Munchkin Convention News! If you were wondering if there was going to be a Munchkin Convention, I'm here to say that not only is there merely going to be, but most sincerely there will be one........but not until the Summer of 2009. Chris and Sharon, have retired the role, as directors. But it is my honor and privilege to be the new director. Keep an eye out for more details. If you have any suggestions or ideas, they will be most greatly welcomed. Until then....Ozzily yours, Kathleen Sorbello Di Scenna - discenna@dreamscape.com
Wicked continues to play to sold-out audiences all across the country. For more information and a complete tour schedule visit the Wicked The Musical Official Website. Information about Wicked performances in London is available at: http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/index.php
The Wizard of Oz - Southbank Centre, London, UK (Wednesday 23 July 2008 - Sunday 31 August 2008)
This summer there is no place like Royal Festival Hall as it transforms into the mystical Emerald City. With a click of your heels and a sprinkle of Southbank Centre magic you'll be swept away on a bewitching adventure to the Land of Oz. Follow Dorothy and her friends Toto, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion on their quest to find their heart's desire and a way back home. This new stage version of the unforgettable film is directed by acclaimed Artistic Director Jude Kelly, and features the classic songs 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', 'Follow The Yellow Brick Road' and 'We're Off To See The Wizard'. A rare opportunity to experience this spell-binding musical live on stage, this is a must-see summer event. Tickets 0871 663 2500 or www.followtheyellowbrickroad.co.uk
Here's a link to a comprehensive calendar of Oz events (http://www.geocities.com/~ozfan/events.htm) filled with Oz opportunities around the country. Members attend nearly all these fun events, and most include an IWOC representative in the vendor area.
| Winkie Convention July 11-13, 2008
|
The 2008
Winkie Convention will be held at Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific
Grove, California, July 11-13.
The Convention Theme is Dorothy in
Earthquake Land, in honor of the centennial of Dorothy and the
Wizard in Oz, originally published in 1908. Expanding our appreciation of all things Oz, will be celebrated author Michael Buckley, whose delightful tales of the Sisters Grimm incorporate aspects of Oz and its characters in surprising new ways in his best-selling, imaginative, humorous, and delightful new series. Winkie leader, Stan Sieler describes the books thus: “The main characters are Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, descendants of the Brothers Grimm. In the series, fairy tales are real, although most fairy tale characters are confined to an area around the town of Ferryport Landing, not far up the Hudson River from New York City. We see Sabrina and Daphne introduced to Ferryport, adapt to their new surroundings, and engage in the family business of fighting evil, along with their grandmother and a reformed Big Bad Wolf. Buckley invokes Oz references in every novel, ranging from Daphne disguising herself as the Tin Woodman, to the use of the silver slippers (which look a bit red in some lights). Indeed, some Oz characters appear in the series, including Glinda (one of the three witches in the town), and the Wizard of Oz himself!” The award-winning author will help us understand his remarkable vision of the world of fairy tales and its intersection with our own. Publisher Harry N. Abrams has produced the volumes with handsome cover art and fine cloth bindings, with imaginative illustrations by Peter Ferguson. The sixth volume in the series is scheduled for publication on May 2008, so will be still quite new at the Winkie Convention. Special presentation will also be made by Judy Bieber, who will explore “Other Americas Than Ours,” as she discusses L. Frank Baum’s America and Americans in some of his lesser-known works, emphasizing his non-fantasy titles written for adolescents and adults. Drawing from her knowledge of Baum and her own background in Latin American history, this talk will explore an aspect of this larger work—how Baum portrayed the Americas south of the border. Here’s your chance to learn more about those pseudonymous best sellers like The Fate of a Crown and Sam Steele's Adventures in Panama! And our own perennial Winkie, Robin Hess, will guide us through an exploration of California earthquakes and which one is likeliest to have led Dorothy, Zeb, and the Wizard on their travels through the Land of the Mangaboos, the Country of the Wooden Gargoyles, the Beautiful Valley of Vo, and the gloomy Den of the Dragonettes. We hope that the Wizard himself may be on hand with his remarkable troupe of Nine Tiny Piglets to regale us yet again with feats of magic unexplainable to mere mortals. Popular program features at the Winkie Convention will include our traditional Oz Costume Parade and Contest, the enlarged Oz Collectibles Road Show, a seminar or two on collecting Oz books and related items, and the treasured Winkie Auction conducted by Club Auctioneer, Bill Thompson, featuring consignments by Larry Abramson from his collection, and a generous gift from Denise Minter, who donated the entire Oz collection of her late sister, Diane M. Wohlforth. The 2008 Winkie Convention will be held at Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California, on the Monterey Peninsula. Asilomar rates include two nights and all six meals in the price of accommodations. Special rates are also available for those who plan to stay elsewhere. Those new to Asilomar should know that July weather there can be breezy and cool (in the low fifties on occasion), so be sure to bring layers of clothing. Asilomar is part of the Asilomar State Beach, with 105 acres of wooded grounds, teeming with wild life, including Western mule deer. The beach is accessible by board-walk across the dunes, which have been restored to their native beauty. Tide pools are easy to explore during low-tide. The superb Monterey Bay Aquarium is nearby, and fine restaurants, antique, book, and art stores are numerous in the area, which includes the cities of Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel. Summer accommodations are premium-priced in July, which makes the Asilomar rates particularly reasonable. |
| IWOC
National Convention
October 10-12, 2008
|
The 2008 IWOC National Convention will be held in
Fayetteville, New York, October 10-12.
Join the International Wizard of Oz Club in
central New York where L. Frank Baum discovered his talent for writing,
published his first pages, fell in love with theater, and met his
lovely bride. Come tour the home where Frank and Maud were married in
1882—now an historic landmark being restored with photographs he took
in 1887. And find the spirit of Matilda Joslyn Gage, the woman who
convinced him to write for children.
• See L. Frank Baum’s live-action film, The Last
Egyptian, based on his anonymous novel for adults. On screen for the
first time since 1915, three reels of footage from this long-lost
5-reel film have been discovered and preserved. With comments by Oz
scholar Michael Patrick Hearn.
• The classic 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz always a favorite with fans and families, will be featured with remarks by Oz writer, historian and past IWOC president, John Fricke. • The Maid of Arran, author L. Frank Baum’s first theatrical success, will be performed as a live readers’ theater event. • A MusicalOz Review offers a rich variety of highlights from more than 100 years of lively Oz and Baum stage and screen productions. Performed for us live by Josh Smith and Company. • The Wonderful Women of Oz: Alison Lurie, Pulitzer Prize winning author, is known for her Oz interests and widely respected for her expertise both in children’s literature and women’s issues, Ms. Lurie appears Saturday as a special guest of the IWOC. • Annual Gage Fund-raising Auction hosted by Tom Thomas at the elegant Wellington House—great food and drink, with one-of-a-kind Oz collectibles. Sunday afternoon. • Robert A. Baum, great-grandson of the celebrated Oz author, and his wife Clare will introduce The Dreamer of Oz Friday afternoon. Enjoy their in-character performances as Frank and Maud, kids’ storytelling and other fun contributions to the event. • Treasures from the Oz Collection of Syracuse University: Characterized by Mr. Hearn as “the best and deepest [Oz/Baum collection] ever donated to a public institution,” selected material will be featured in a special walk-through with the collection’s curator. The collections of Russell P. MacFall and Fred M. Meyer are the basis of this outstanding collection. • Incredible, Edible Oz: Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation, teams with Oz collector Jane Albright for a review of Baum and Gage family recipes, cookbooks and fun food products tied to Oz. • The Matilda Joslyn Gage Home, where Frank and Maud were married, is in the midst of extensive restoration. Don’t miss the bedroom window pane where Susan B. Anthony scratched her name. There’s even an archeological dig underway in the back yard. • Quilts of Oz: dozens of hand-made quilts featuring Oz themes and characters have been created for exhibit by area quilters to support the work of the Gage Foundation. • Early Music of Oz: The Motto Sheet Music Museum in the Fayetteville Free Library will exhibit Oz-related sheet music from Club member collections, including rare selections, such as “The Maid of Arran,” on loan from Robert Baum. • Through the Lens with L. Frank Baum: Baum often captured his area visits with both interior and exterior photography. Fascinating views of the Gage home through Baum’s own photos will be on display. • Printed, self-guided area tours to Baum’s birthplace (Chittenango, NY, just 7 miles down the road), and other Syracuse-area sites will be available. |
To submit additions to the calendar, send information via email to feedback@ozclub.org, put EVENTS in the subject line and please provide a URL with your information.