by Bastian Kraft
after the novel by L. Frank Baum
with an epilogue by Kay Matter
DIRECTED BY: Bastian Kraft
PFAUEN
PREMIERE: 24.10.2026
2 hours (no interval)
A whirlwind sweeps through Kansas, lifting the young Dorothy and her mountain cabin from a dust-dry reality into the dazzling land of Oz. But despite all its glitter and colourfulness, Dorothy now sets out to find her way back home – a place which suddenly seems out of reach. What exactly is this home that Dorothy and perhaps all of us are searching for?
Also caught between dream and reality is the spirit of Judy Garland, who became an icon in the late 1930s thanks to the Hollywood musical “The Wizard of Oz”. The life story of this famous actress reflects both the brightest and darkest sides of Tinseltown: talent and trauma, technicolour and pill addiction. In Bastian Kraft’s production, Judy appears on screen as Dorothy. Holding back tears, she sings of a longing we all are familiar with – the longing to feel at home within ourselves. Just as the Scarecrow wishes for a brain, the Tin Man for a heart, and the Cowardly Lion for courage, we all long to be content with who we are. And as Dorothy follows the winding yellow roads through forests of papier-mâché, we follow her – in the hope that the Wizard might give us what we are missing.
It is therefore no surprise that Oz is a land of outsiders, of queer witches and ambitious mothers, wizards and melancholic showgirls. It is a world in which everyone suddenly starts dancing, as if choreographed in a musical. And then, a moment later, they hold their breath, because, despite all the kitsch, the cinematic dream is permeated with pain. For Bastian Kraft, who is returning to the Schauspielhaus with a new production after the success of DIE KLEINE MEERJUNGFRAU, this journey through the Land of Oz becomes a journey through a multi-layered dream into our innermost depths and hidden fears, beneath the surface of euphoria and pleasure.
♥ Supported by Schwyzer-Winiker Stiftung
Alice Speller
CONTENT NOTE:
This production deals with addiction and prescription drug dependency.
SENSORY NOTE:
This production uses bright, glaring light, haze and loud music in some scenes.