The show opened with “Over the Rainbow,” and after expecting new or adapted songs, it was comforting to hear that familiar melody. It reminded me that, whatever the scale of the production, the heart of The Wizard of Oz remains the same.

The venue was the smallest I’ve attended in 30 years—simple and intimate, with no major props. The space almost resembled an Israeli church, with bronze wall décor inscribed with many names and a six-pointed star at the center. Before the show, Dorothy and the Good Witch came down to greet young girls and a boy in the audience. The vice president of the theater personally handed out booster seats and even asked if I needed one. It was a genuinely warm and friendly atmosphere.

The cast was small and multitasked: the Wicked Witch also played the Wizard and other roles. No one wore microphones, which suited the venue’s size, though some voices didn’t carry as well. The Lion stood out with a deep, resonant bass-baritone voice. The show leaned on charm and simplicity rather than spectacle.

It ran just 55 minutes. Except for me, the audience was mostly families with children aged two to seven, many dressed as Dorothy, the Good Witch, or princesses. They seemed to enjoy the show completely. For me, listening to all the songs and recapping the story before attending Wicked was good enough. If you have a child, love the old Oz musical, or just want a light, nostalgic warm-up, this makes for a fun and fitting introduction.

Although this was an off-Broadway children’s production, I decided to include my review here. The show retained all the major songs from the original film and followed the storyline exactly as audiences remember it.