Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402

                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 11/17/00
      Contact:                           Wayne Cain   79
Editors: Photo accompanies release
"THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION" PREMIERES
ON KSLU
     HAMMOND   Southeastern Louisiana University's public radio station 90.9 KSLU
announces will air a special holiday presentation of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Centennial
Celebration," a two-part series from Public Radio International commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the publication of L. Frank Baum's classic children's novel. "The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz Centennial Celebration" will air Thanksgiving Day from 3 p.m. till 5 p.m. and
Friday, November 24 from 3 p.m. till 5 p.m. 
     "This is great family programming, and it's perfect for the holidays," says general
manager Wayne Cain. "Like the book and the Judy Garland movie, it appeals to listeners of any
age. I'm delighted to offer the series in our area."
     "We have always dreamed of making a deep, true audio picture of "The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz," explained producers Judith Walcutt and David Ossman. "The book holds such
magic and so clearly fuels the imagination, we hope to plant the seeds for listeners to envision
their own inner cinematic feature of this original American fairy tale." 
     "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Centennial Celebration" is a complete audio treatment of
Baum's children's novel, created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the book's publication.
The two-part series is full of the same comedy, excitement, and wonder found in the original
book. 
     The series features an all-star cast. Celebrated actors Rene Auberjonois plays the
Scarecrow, Robert Guillaume, the Cowardly Lion, and Nestor Serrano, the Tin Woodman.
Comedy great Phyllis Diller is the Wicked Witch, actor-magician Harry Anderson is the Wizard,
and rising film and TV star Michelle Trachtenberg portrays Dorothy. Oscar nominee Annette
Bening cameos as Glinda the Good Witch and John Goodman plays the Guardian of the Gates.
The series also boasts performances by Joanna Gleason, Michael Learned, Edie McClurg, Mark
Hamill, Mako, Norman Corwin, "Pinky and the Brain," and the Firesign Theatre.
     At the end of each program, author Ray Bradbury comments on Baum, the Oz books, and
his own creative relationship to them. The production also features a musical score reminiscent
of a home-town bandstand circa 1905, with melodies from the first production of "The Wizard of
Oz" (1902) and tunes by Baum himself.
     "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Centennial Celebration" is produced by Walcutt and
Ossman (Otherworld Media) for the Children's Museum of Los Angeles and is distributed
nationally by Public Radio International. Otherworld's public radio productions include the
Grammy-nominated "The War of the Worlds 50th Anniversary Production," Ossman's
dramtization of Tom Lewis' epic history of radio, "The Empire of the Air," and Norman Corwin's
bicentennial celebration, "We Hold These Truths."
     90.9 KSLU is the Public Radio International affiliate for the Florida parishes and a
broadcast service of Southeastern Louisiana University. 

                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu./NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf00.htm