The ASC Kids’ Club show “Down the Yellow Brick Road,” an interactive show for children featuring Dorothy and her friends from Oz, will return to UAB’s Alys Stephens Center with three shows Saturday, March 27. Show times are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $8. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org.

March 3, 2010

"Down the Yellowbrick Road." Download image.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The ASC Kids' Club show "Down the Yellow Brick Road," an interactive show for children featuring Dorothy and her friends from Oz, will return to UAB's Alys Stephens Center with three shows Saturday, March 27. Show times are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $8. Call 205-975-2787 or go to www.AlysStephens.org.

"Down the Yellow Brick Road" is one of the Alys Stephens Center's most ambitious original productions. Written by Jerry Sims and adapted from L. Frank Baum's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the story offers lessons on self-confidence, friendship, courage and using one's imagination. Through the generosity of a grant from Jane Stephens Comer, this adaptation of a timeless classic features elaborate sets, fanciful costumes, special effects, a large cast and greater audience involvement than ever before. Children in attendance can become part of the story and help "imagineers" create the cyclone that takes Dorothy's house to Munchkinland. They'll join Dorothy, Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion in song and imagination exercises as they help Dorothy find her way back home to Kansas. Bring a camera and take pictures with the show characters in costume after the performance.

Past original ASC productions include "Christmas Comes to Mugwumpville," "Yuletide in Dogtown," "So You Want to Be a Star," "Mad Hatter's Tea Party" and "Alice's Even Bigger Tea Party." Writer/director Sims and ASC Education and Outreach Director Kimberly Kirklin produce the original shows for the ASC Kids' Club series, which feature thrilling, one-hour performances designed to introduce kids to the performing arts.

The Alys Stephens Center also will present four educational outreach performances of this show free of charge for local schools March 25-26.

This show is sponsored by Jane Stephens Comer, The Birmingham News and Viva Health.

About UAB's Alys Stephens Center

UAB's Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center is one of the Southeast's premier performing arts centers, hosting the best in international, national and local performance. Home to the UAB departments of theatre and music and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the ASC also presents its own season, bringing the world's best music, dance, theater, comedy and family entertainment to Alabama.