‘Dorothy, Back In Oz’ at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds this summer

“Dorothy, Back In Oz”, the sequel to Theatre Royal’s 2023 play “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, has opened for a two-week run from Friday to Saturday, August 16 to 31.

The musical features a cast of professional actors alongside 16 local young people who have all been rehearsing since the end of July for the production.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds runs a summer school which gives young people the chance to work with seasoned professionals, directors, designers, technicians and stage managers and gain a unique insight into different career paths including acting, composing, stage management and lighting design.

The summer school is supported by funding from Bury St Edmunds Town Council.

In addition to its other fund-raising and sponsorships, Theatre Royal receives vital core funding from West Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council and the Arts Council England, which helps to sustain the theatre and fund all of Theatre Royal’s programme of work.

Theatre Royal employs professional creatives for their in-house work and always tries to work with as many local theatre professionals as possible. Creatives and theatre professionals from East Anglia feature throughout the production including in producing, costume making, lighting design and in the adult cast.

Owen Calvert-Lyons, Theatre Royal’s artistic director and co-director of “Dorothy, Back In Oz”, said: “Following last year’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, we are creating another fun, uplifting and exciting show this summer with ‘Dorothy, Back In Oz’.

“Our cast of 16 local young people and five professional adult actors are all working hard and having so much fun in the rehearsal room.

“Our summer production is an integral part of our programme and is one of the three in-house productions we create every year for our audiences to enable them to enjoy high-quality theatre locally.

“We are looking forward to sharing this  production, and its brilliant cast, with our audiences this summer. We can’t wait to take you back to the Land of Oz.”

Theatre Royal is also backed with annual grant funding for core costs from West Suffolk Council. Earlier this year it renewed the annual grant of £61,000.

Cliff Waterman, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “One of our top priorities at the council is thriving communities which is why we think supporting the arts and culture with strategic grants like this is vital. It was good to see so many young people, from all over West Suffolk, taking part in the production and learning new skills as well as making friends and promoting the arts.”

And Ian Shipp, the council’s cabinet member for Leisure and Culture who last year had a behind the scenes tour, said: “Our fantastic mix of leisure and culture is what makes West Suffolk such a wonderful place to live and work and continues to attract visitors from far, far away.”