Talkin' About Tik-Tok

Polychrome, the Shaggy Man, and Betsy assist Tik-Tok.

This year's Winkie Con features a unique program on Saturday evening, August 9, 2014. Clockwork Productions will revive The Tik-Tok Man of Oz, the musical play originally produced in Los Angeles, California, in 1913. The book and lyrics were written by Oz author L. Frank Baum, as a sequel to his 1903 Broadway smash The Wizard of Oz. The music for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz was composed by Louis F. Gottschalk, composer of many early film scores, including Orphans of the Storm by D. W. Griffith, A Woman of Paris by Charlie Chaplin, and Little Lord Fauntleroy starring Mary Pickford.

Oliver Morosco produced The Tik-Tok Man of Oz at the Majestic Theater in Los Angeles, California, where it premiered March 31, 1913. The show then toured the USA and Canada, arriving in San Diego, California, in 1914. Now, one hundred years later, San Diego will once again host a presentation of The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. It's appropriate that The Tik-Tok Man of Oz will be performed in San Diego, since L. Frank Baum wrote the earliest drafts of the show in 1907 at the Hotel del Coronado, the famous luxury resort near San Diego.

The Tik-Tok Man of Oz has not had a fully staged production in a century. If you ever wanted to see a fully staged performance of one of L. Frank Baum's stage works, this is your chance. This revival will be presented one night only, on Saturday, August 9, 2014, as the evening program of the 50th annual Winkie Con, the world's longest running Oz event. The Regency Ballroom of the Town and Country Resort, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, California, will be turned into a theater to present the show.

Sheet music from 1913

All the surviving musical numbers from the original production--more than twenty in all--will be performed. These include the fourteen songs written by L. Frank Baum and Louis F. Gottschalk, as well as four additional songs by Oliver Morosco and Victor Schertzinger, an overture, an entr'acte, reprises, and dances. The original script by L. Frank Baum has been abridged by award-winning Oz author and illustrator Eric Shanower in order to keep the running time of this production under two and a half hours.

A full-convention ticket to Winkie Con 50 includes guaranteed seating for the Saturday evening performance of The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. To register for Winkie Con 50, click here for the Winkie Con website.

Sheet music from 1913

The Tik-Tok Man of Oz features plenty of action, comedy, romance, and suspense. The star of the show is Tik-Tok, the copper clockwork man who must be wound up with a key to move, think, and speak. Tik-Tok is rescued by young Betsy Bobbin and her pet mule Hank who are helping the Shaggy Man search for his long lost brother. They are joined by Queen Ann and her brave Army of Oogaboo, as well as Polychrome the Daughter of the Rainbow and Ozma the Rose Princess. They all must face the magical power of Ruggedo the villainous Metal Monarch and his Metal Imps deep in the underground Metal Forest. The story is similar to the seventh Oz book, Tik-Tok of Oz, because L. Frank Baum based that book on this play.

The Tik-Tok Man of Oz Kickstarter Campaign
A Kickstarter campaign for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz has launched. Won't you consider becoming part of this fascinating project by making a pledge? To contribute, click here to go directly to Kickstarter. We're offering some cool rewards for contributors, including a DVD of the performance, a book reprinting all the surviving sheet music from the original production, artwork by Eric Shanower, VIP seating at the performance, posters, and more--you could even have a walk-on role in the show! Some of these rewards are exclusive and won't be available anywhere else. Watch our Kickstarter video to hear music from The Tik-Tok Man of Oz.

Auditions and Open Dance Call
The cast will have about twenty members to bring The Tik-Tok Man of Oz to life. Auditions are April 4 in the San Diego area. Open Dance Call is April 6. For details, see the Audition Notice here.

Behind the Curtain
The creative team for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz is already in place, and here they are:

Chrissy Burns, Director: Chrissy has directed such productions as 42nd Street, Sweet Charity, Nunsense, and Chicago. She has acted on many San Diego stages, including Lambs Players, Diversionary Theatre, Starlight Theatre, and more. She was recently seen in miXtape, the hit 1980's musical at the Horton Grand Theater. She teaches Musical Theater and Voice at Infinity Dance Arts in El Cajon, California.

Joseph Grienenberger, Musical Director: Joseph has been Musical Director for productions that include Man of La Mancha, Pacific Overtures, Blood Wedding, and The Wizard of Oz. His credits include stage direction, singing, acting, and orchestrating for the Old Globe Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Repertory, and more. Joseph is a voice and acting coach and is a core chorister at San Diego Opera .

Jennifer Solomon-Rubio, Choreographer: Teaming with director Chrissy Burns, Jenn has choreographed such stage musicals as 42nd Street, Ruthless! the Musical, and Chicago. Her stage experience includes fashion shows, trade shows, and choreographic work throughout the San Diego region. She is studio director and an instructor at Infinity Dance Arts in El Cajon, California.

Christopher Boltz, Lighting Design: Chris worked on the television shows Third Rock from the Sun and That 70's Show. He coordinated lighting and sound for the pre-Broadway workshop of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. He has designed lighting for productions including Mirror Mirror, Epic of Gil, and The Rocky Horror Show. He teaches in the Theatre Arts department of Fresno City College.

David Maxine and Eric Shanower, Set and Costume Design: David has designed productions including Sweeney Todd, Oklahoma!, and The Baltimore Waltz for theaters such as Skylight Opera, Yale Rep, Trenton State College, and Bard College. He was Associate Designer for ABC News, Production Designer for the film Ready? OK!, and Scenic Artist at San Diego Opera and La Jolla Playhouse. Eric is a cartoonist whose comics projects include the ongoing series Age of Bronze, the story of the Trojan War, and scripts for New York Times best-selling comics adaptations of L. Frank Baum's Oz books with art by Skottie Young. He has illustrated numerous other comics and books.

If you want to be in the audience for this historic performance of L. Frank Baum's The Tik-Tok Man of Oz, be sure to register for Winkie Con 50 as soon as you can.

To see many aspects of Tik-Tok and his friends, see the gallery of images on The Tik-Tok Man of Oz website here.