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Outdoor Movies: Wizard of Oz’ Marks 70 Years with Outdoor Movie Screening
Follow the red-brick road to “The Wizard of Oz,” coming to an outdoor movie setting in downtown Longview the night before Halloween.
Audience members, especially children, are invited to dress as their favorite characters for the show at Heritage Plaza, where Green Street meets bumpy, red-bricked Methvin Street.
Children ages 10 and younger can win a prize during OzFest, a “Wizard of Oz” character contest before the 1939 classic film.
“It’s the 70th anniversary (of the movie),” said Elaine Reynolds with the Longview Partnership, which coordinates outdoor movies held at least twice a year in the downtown park.
“We’re going to dress in costume, and we encourage people to come as their favorite character.”
The pre-screening events include entertainment by a 9-voice teen choir from ArtsView Children’s Theatre. The troupe will sing songs from “The Wizard of Oz” and its lesser-known prequel, “Wicked.”
“Performing outside is really cool, because you’re a lot closer to the people,” said 15-year-old choir leader Caroline Bump.
“And you can interact and bring them into what you’re doing. We have to work on being louder and bigger. You have to draw the people in.”
The group is expected to sing at least one tune while walking among the audience members, and Bump said young children can expect to make new friends.
“We’re going to be smiling at all the little kids, especially, and trying to appeal to them,” she said.
“Because things, to them, are really magical.”
The fantasy begins even before OzFest with a Brown Bag Lunch in Heritage Plaza which employees of the Longview Partnership are expected to attend as Wizard of Oz characters.
