The Wonderful Winter of Oz in Thousand Oaks

Click your heels three times! 5-Star Theatricals, TOArts and Lythgoe Family Productions are thrilled to announce the return of Lythgoe Family Panto for the holidays, featuring THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ, starring Panto veteran John O’Hurley (NBC’s “Seinfeld,” Lythgoe Family Panto’s Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, Broadway’s Chicago) as The Wizard, Tamyra Gray (“American Idol,” Broadway’s Bombay Dreamsand Once on This Island) as Glinda, and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (ABC’s “Modern Family” – SAG Award) as Dorothy. Becky Lythgoe (Lythgoe Family Panto’s Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish) is set to direct this fun-filled production for ages 2 to 102! THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ will run from December 12 through December 28, 2025, with the opening night on Saturday, December 13, at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center (2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd). ​

​THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ, written by Kris Lythgoe, is a holiday version of America's favorite modern fairy tale, in the style of a traditional British family panto. On Christmas Eve, Dorothy gets swept away by a 'freak' Kansas blizzard and lands in a world of munchkins and witches. With songs from Lady Gaga to Earth, Wind and Fire, THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ is the perfect family experience at the holiday time. No rainbows will be hurt in this production.
 
“TOArts and 5-Star Theatricals are thrilled to once again partner with the Lythgoe family for their production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” exclaimed 5-Star Theatricals Executive Director Cindy Murray. “Their shows fill the stage with joy, energy, and heart. It’s especially wonderful to see families and first-time theatergoers sharing in that magic together—bringing our community together through the joy of live theatre is exactly what we strive for.”
 
“It’s an honor to return to Thousand Oaks and work with such supportive partners who share our passion for introducing the next generation to theatre,” said Lythgoe Family Productions Producer Kris Lythgoe. “We’re thrilled to welcome back Seinfeld’s John O’Hurley, joined by Tamyra Gray and Modern Family star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons. The Wonderful Winter of Oz promises to be a fun, festive experience for the whole family to enjoy together this holiday season.”
 
In addition to O’Hurley, Anderson-Emmons, and Gray, the cast of THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ features Mark Gagliardi (Laguna Playhouse’s A Cinderella Christmas, Comedy Central’s Drunk History) as Lion, Kevin Ivins (Dance performances by Dwight Rhoden, Dana Wilson, and others) as Ensemble, Sydney Kinney (Peacock’s Based On A True Story, Netflix’s The Merry Gentlemen) as Ensemble, Douglas Ladnier (Broadway’s Jekyll & Hyde, 5-Star Theatricals’ Rapunzel and Her Holiday Wish) as Tin Man, Jocelyn Mastro (67th Grammy Awards performance with The Weekend, Cirque du Soleil) as Ensemble, Brandon Maxwell (Dance performances for Imagine Dragon, Jordan Fisher) as Ensemble, Jules McKelvey (Howard High - The Movie, The Disappointments) as Ensemble, and John Shar Tzer(National Tour of Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, Saenger Theatre’s Clue) as Scarecrow.

Dancers are Faith Graham (Emerald Team), Maddison North (Emerald Team), and Caitlyn Renshaw (Yellow Team).
 
In addition to director Becky Lythgoe, the creative team features choreography by Becca Sweitzer, musical directorJesse Vargas, media design by Aaron Rhyne, lighting design by Crystal Shomph, sound design by Ian Scot Williams, production designer EK Dagenfield, and stage manager Sam Millette.
 
A special student matinee of THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ will be held on December 17, 2025, at 10 a.m., serving nearly 400 students in the Conejo Valley Unified School District.  
 
The limited engagement of THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ will play at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center (2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd). Performances run December 12 – 28, 2025, with the official opening on Saturday, December 13 at 4 p.m. Tickets are available online at TOpanto.com, with prices starting at $48.75. The Golden Ticket (Premium, children ages 4 – 12 only) is a special on-stage experience during the production for an additional $65 per child (limit of 10 per performance). Each Golden Ticketholder will receive a Panto gift bag. Note: A Golden Ticket does not include admission to the show.

Tickets:  TOpanto.com
Information:  https://bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/the-wonderful-winter-of-oz