Having almost sold out of tickets even before opening night December 1, Drayton Entertainment has extended the run of it’s panto version of the Wizard of Oz at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.

Originally set to wrap on December 31, the show will be staged eight more times from January 3 to 8.

“Wizard of Oz: The Panto is pure family fun – it’s packed with outrageous characters, extravagant costumes, and lots of music and dancing that make it wildly entertaining for everyone, from kids to parents to grandparents,” said artistic director Alex Mustakas in a release. “We love seeing three generations of theatregoers enjoying the magic of live theatre together. And now, with the extra performances, even more families will be able to make memories at the theatre this holiday season.” 

The production is a twisted take on the famed children’s story by L. Frank Baum. When Dorothy and her beloved dog Toto are whisked over the rainbow in a tornado, she must band together with some newfound friends to journey to Oz and defeat the Wicked Witch who is determined to take over the land. 

Making her Drayton Entertainment debut, Lia Luz stars as headstrong heroine Dorothy. She’s joined on the yellow brick road by Stacey Kay as the Lion, JJ Gerber as Scarecrow and Noah Beemer as Tin Man.

The children’s chorus includes Abygail Rosenberger of Elmira and Taya Nero of St. Jacobs.

Tickets are available by calling the box office at 519-747-7788 or toll free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866), or online at www.draytonentertainment.com.