Hold onto your hats! There’s a strange wind blowing through town, and it might turn into a cyclone strong enough to lift a farmhouse off its foundation. Where do we go from here? Perhaps to a magical land with talking beasts, walking scarecrows, men of tin, flying monkeys, and wicked (and good) witches. It’s just a little trip over a rainbow and into imagination as some of the world’s most beloved characters spring to life from the pages and onto the stage in a brand-new adventure. Can you find the magical Silver Shoes? You’ll get your chance in our 42nd Master Mystery Production called…
AFTER OZ
Something strange is happening over the rainbow. Years ago, young Dorothy Gale from Kansas thought she had a dream. A dream of a magical land filled with munchkins, living scarecrows, winged monkeys, and roads of yellow bricks. But as she’s grown older, she’s dismissed the odd memories as lingering strain from the cyclone she survived. Until the cyclone returns. Dorothy is whisked from the Kansas prairie back to the Land of Oz…to answer for the theft of the magical silver shoes. At the Emerald City, Dorothy encounters friends and villains old as they all try to scramble to find these powerful treasures. Because whoever controls the shoes controls unbelievable power. Where could they be? Will you be able to help Dorothy keep them out of the wrong hands and get home again? Ride the cyclone with us, click your heels together, and help save Dorothy in a brand-new, family-friendly mystery adventure. You may know the original story, but do you know what happened after Oz? There’s no telling where the yellow brick road will lead you this time…
For the first time, MMP is joining forces with the Friends of the Library for a fundraiser show for them at the Ridgecrest Branch Library. And whenever we are surrounded by books, that’s where we take our inspiration. Libraries and bookstores are magical places where stories come to life, and we’ve always enjoyed doing that literally in our shows. Borrowing (as you would from any library) from past shows such as Shelf Life and Malice in Wonderland with the idea of a show acting like a giant pop-up book fantasyland audiences can literally step into, seeing the Emerald City unfold before them.
After Oz features two casts, much like last year’s sold-out summer smash, Malice in Wonderland, to allow artists of all ages a chance to play in our world. Cast East typically features youth performers ages 12 and under, and Cast West features performers ages 12 and up. They will divide and alternate performances during the run. Both casts feature a few, young MMP and theatre vets alongside actors making their debuts at the company. This gives us an exciting opportunity to introduce new voices to the valley. We take some of the best known and beloved characters and give them new twists. After all, it’s after their first adventure in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Scarecrow has his “bran-new” brains. The Tin Woodsman has his heart. And the Lion has his courage. The hijinks all our friends get up to will make your cheeks hurt from smiling too much.
And in keeping with our purpose to pass on theatrical knowledge and work to the next generation, we had our youth members design, write, direct, and perform their own puppet show retlling of the L. Frank Baum book. They created their own puppets, wrote their own dialogue, cast the show themselves. This will serve as both a prologue to the new show written and directed by MMP founder Daniel Stallings, but also help teach younger artists about playwriting, directing, and show design. We can’t wait for you to hear and see their original work!
Closing out a spectacular 2026 season with magic and marvelous mayhem, After Oz is fun for the entire family as we watch the Scarecrow confuse everyone with his big words and erudite pontificating, the Wizard undertake some secret scheming, the Lion’s bravado making him leap to conclusions, and the return of a very wicked presence to Oz. All while making Dorothy’s head spin like a tornado. Oh! And don’t forget Toto. He’ll make an appearance too. Anything is possible in fiction, and that certainly remains true in After Oz. Ready to join us down the yellow brick road?
After Oz performs November 6, 7, 13, and 14, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ridgecrest Branch Library (131 E. Las Flores Ave.). Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show runs an hour with a fifteen-minute intermission. The show is appropriate for all ages with parental supervision. Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for kids ages 4 to 12. Kids under 4 are free. Seating is first come, first served.
Tickets are sold through only Eventbrite at this link. There will be no physical tickets due to the tiered system. You can also scan the QR code on the poster or click on the poster on our Welcome page to be taken to the site to buy your tickets. If you have any concerns with accessible seating, please email your concerns to mastermysteryproductions@hotmail.com, and we will do our best to address your needs.
We’ll see you at the show!
–Master Mystery Productions
