Following the Yellow Brick Road to the Paramount Theatre for The Wizard of Oz

Following the Yellow Brick Road to the Paramount Theatre for The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz at the historic Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois painted a magical family memory for us this holiday season. Before Thanksgiving, we enjoyed a little escape to the Paramount Theatre to watch The Wizard of Oz and for about 2.5 hours we were totally immersed in Dorothy's world falling in love with the characters, stunning sets and whimsical performances.

A brilliant visit to Munchkin Land! Image credit Liz Lauren courtesy of Paramount Theatre.

Exploring the Historic Paramount Theatre:

We arrived early for our show so that we could enjoy the theatre. The Paramount Theatre originally opened in 1931 and was restored so that today the public can enjoy that grand feel of theatres of the era. Walking into the Paramount, you immediately feel awe. During the holiday season, wreaths are hung and the banisters are adorned with lights and greenery. The staircase is a stunning fixture and provides for a nice photo spot! We climbed the stairs to take a view of the staircase from above.

The grand staircase at the Paramount Theatre decked for the holidays!

Upstairs, we browsed previous productions. You will be impressed!

Just a few of the productions that have been performed at the Paramount Theatre.

Additionally, we explored a section with information about The Wizard of Oz author Frank Baum. Next to this display, we discovered fun photo areas. Photography is not permitted during the show, so it is fun to have spots like this for before.

Fun photo spots!

The centerpiece of the lobby is a beautiful and whimsical The Wizard of Oz tree.

Swept up by The Wizard of Oz tree at the Paramount!

Sitting Down for the Show:

When you walk into the theater, a sense of awe comes over you. The gold detailing, murals, a chandelier and more make you feel royal for just a little bit!

Waiting for the curtains to go up for The Wizard of Oz!

Stunning details at the Paramount Theatre create a sense of awe.

We were right below the chandelier. My daughter took a nice shot!

Beautiful chandelier overhead at the Paramount Theatre.

The Magic:

The sets are incredible. Of course, most of us are well versed in the screen production of The Wizard Oz so following along with the story line was pure joy. We were very interested to see how each scene was portrayed with the stage elements and effects. The scenes absolutely come alive with the moving parts and colors melding together to craft the World of Oz you have always imagined. Don't you just feel like you are in the Emerald City with the Wizard of Oz floating away:

Stunning Emerald City scene. Image credit Liz Lauren courtesy of Paramount Theatre.

This particular scene was one of our favorites. I say one because there were many! The core four characters Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tinman and Cowardly Lion lit up the stage. The bonds between the characters were perfect with the uniqueness of each character shining through each endearing to the audience. Elizabeth Stenholt as Dorothy, Paul-Jordan Jansen as Cowardly Lion, Carl Draper as Tinman and Kyle Adams as Scarecrow bring alive those bonds that we fall in love with time and time again. Of course, Toto was perfectly adorable too!

Following the Yellow Brick Road! Image credit Liz Lauren courtesy of Paramount Theatre.

One more sneak peek -- the acting, sets and everything were incredible:

Stunning Kansas set in The Wizard of Oz. Image credit Liz Lauren courtesy of Paramount Theatre.

Overall Impressions:

The Wizard of Oz at the Paramount Theatre provided that magical holiday escape our family needed! A visit to the Paramount Theatre itself is a royal treat. The Wizard of Oz product transported us to Dorothy's world for an afternoon as stunning sets and fantastic acting crafted a magnificent family  memory! The Wizard of Oz will be at The Paramount until January 6, so I highly recommend making a visit this holiday season!

**Disclosure: My family did receive complimentary tickets to bring you this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

A little more The Wizard of Oz humor at the costume shop:

To Know About The Paramount Theatre:

• Please, please get there early to enjoy the entrance and lobby area. The staircase and other features of the Paramount are stunning.  You can enter 1 hour before the production.
• No photography is permitted during the production. However, you can take photos out in the lobby area which is beautiful. You can also take a few before the show starts.
• There is a concession area where you can enjoy snacks and drinks before the show or during intermission. They had some fun themed drinks!
• There is a 15 minute intermission.