MANSFIELD, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Renaissance Theatre will transport audiences over the rainbow this summer with its 2025 Summer Musical production of “The Wizard of Oz.” The beloved story will come to life during four enchanting performances in late July and early August.

The production, part of the Park National Bank Broadway Series, promises a magical experience for all ages. Show dates are Saturday, July 26, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 27, at 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 3, at 2:30 p.m. The July 27 matinee will include a free post-show Yellow Brick Picnic.

Directed by Michael Thomas, with Associate Artistic Director Ryan Shealy and Musical Director Kelly Knowlton, the show features a talented cast bringing the classic characters to life. McKenna Stoffer stars as Dorothy, with Bobby Morrow as the Scarecrow, Jacob Poiner as the Tin Man, and Robert Hardin-Leeth as the Cowardly Lion. Leah Gesouras plays the Wicked Witch of the West, Emily Bare is Glinda, and Beau Roberts appears as the Wizard of Oz. The cast also includes over 20 ensemble performers from the region.

“The Renaissance creative team has pulled out all the stops to present their own vision of L. Frank Baum’s classic story, while also paying homage to the beloved 1939 film starring Judy Garland,” said Director Michael Thomas. “The colorful tale comes to life with all the special effects, gorgeous musical score, and all the laughs and thrills that have made The Wizard of Oz a part of our lives for nearly 125 years.”

Tickets start at $15 and are available now. Special value-added packages include a Date Night Package, which adds wine and sweet treats for an additional $5 per ticket, and a Family Night Package, offering popcorn and water for four or more attendees.

Tickets can be purchased at www.rentickets.org, by calling 419-522-2726, or in person at the Renaissance Theatre Box Office, 138 Park Avenue West, Mansfield.

Following the Sunday, July 27, matinee, a free community Yellow Brick Picnic will be held outside the theater. The event will feature Wizard of Arts Face Painting, Eshelman’s Table Food Truck, Graeter’s Ice Cream, a Richland Academy of the Arts Parachute & Play Station, a Buckeye Imagination Museum Play Station, and a YMCA “Y on the Fly” Play Area. This family-friendly event is open to all.

The production is made possible with additional support from Brightspeed, Jay and Amy Goyal, J & B Acoustical, K.E. McCartney, and Ohio Mutual Insurance Group.