Bloomfield Hills, Mich., (December 6, 2022) - This holiday season, Dream Arts Company welcomes metro-Detroit communities to experience why, “There’s no place like home” as it presents one of most beloved family musicals of all time, The Wizard of Oz (R.S.C.) December 15-17, 2022, at the historic Flagstar Strand Theatre in downtown Pontiac.

To commemorate its 20th Emerald anniversary, DACO is landing in Emerald City, also known as Oz and presenting its favorite musical the very week the organization was founded in 2002. To celebrate the milestone event, this special production features two lead casts presenting four shows over three days.

The upcoming production includes 44 local actors, ranging in age from 5-29 from Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Beverly Hills, Royal Oak, Troy and surrounding communities. Many participating actors have been featured in numerous Dream Arts Company (DACO) productions-some in as many as 17 DACO shows.

In The Wizard of Oz, Emerald City represents a place where anyone could have their dreams and hopes fulfilled. DACO was founded 20 years ago with a very similar vision-to encourage young individuals to actively use their imagination to dream, think, and achieve. Dedicated to providing intellectual, artistic, and personal development through arts education, creative performance and live theatrical opportunities, the production company has impacted the lives of more than 2,000 children, youth, and young adults and has produced over 100 high-quality productions over the years.

“Presenting Wizard of Oz to our local community is the perfect way to celebrate our Emerald anniversary,” said DACO Co-director Lauren Cornwell. The production company is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment where young individuals can experience the positive and powerful effects the arts can have on their lives. Cornwell has experienced that impact first-hand as a former DACO student herself for five years. Today as a DACO veteran and leader working for the company more than 10 years, she shares her learnings and many talents with new generations of actors. For this celebratory event Cornwell will be playing the role of Glinda, the Good Witch as an alumni performer, in addition to co-directing the show.

“Our wish to share our love of the performing arts through education was merely an idea 20 years ago, but has now flown beyond our most daring dreams.” DACO Founder and Director Tiffany Sims explained. “It has been such a privilege to see our students grow as people as well as creative art performers. It brings me great joy to work alongside Lauren in a new capacity as we continue to fulfill our mission.”

To promote kindness and give back this holiday season, DACO will be holding a baby diaper and wipes drive in the theatre lobby at all Wizard of Oz shows and in support of A Girl Like Me Incorporated, a nonprofit based in Detroit that assists young women make healthy life choices. DACO encourages show attendees to donate to this worthy organization as it too empowers dreamers to dream.

The Wizard of Oz is based on a book written in 1900 by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. One of best-known stories in American pop culture, and the most-watched motion pictures of all time according to the Library of Congress, the Wizard of Oz follows the adventures of Dorothy Gale after she is swept away from her Kansas farm by a cyclone. After landing in the magical land of Oz, Dorothy embarks on a thrilling journey on the yellow brick road to Emerald City alongside the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, but Dorothy must learn an important lesson before she can return home. Judy Garland, the iconic actress who played Dorothy in the film back in 1939, Judy Garland, would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year on June 10.

The show will be held December 15-17 at the Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., in Pontiac each night at 7:00 p.m. with an additional matinee show held December 17 at 12 p.m. Tickets are available now at https://www.dacompany.org  General admission seats are $20. Group pricing of $17 a ticket is available for organized parties of 12 or more at all performances by emailing DACODetroit@hotmail.com. The Wizard of Oz is double-cast. Please note the cast list before purchasing tickets.