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Home » News » June and July, oh my!

June and July, oh my!

Leah Barber 0 like Activity, Event, Events

Blink and you miss it… and here we are now in July! We last shared about the exciting things happening on Friday, September 27, and we’re even more excited to talk about what’s going to be happening on Saturday, September 28!

It’s another big day for Oz, the National Convention and CharlOz, and the whole day is going to be jam-packed with more Ozzy fun than you could shake a stick at. (Though we wouldn’t recommend stick shaking… perhaps a wand or a bit of heel clicking instead.)

Glinda the good witch - BC BooklookBC BooklookAs a wise woman once said, it’s always best to start at the beginning…

At 10 AM, CharlOz will be kicking off with a brief welcome by Dina Massachi, Oz scholar and Project Director of CharlOz. Throughout the day, there will be a number of programs specifically for kids–from family story time, to a puppet show, and even a special CharlOz scavenger hunt throughout ImaginOn–and so many more events for all the kid and adult Oz fans!

For the rest of Saturday, you can look forward to:

All-day events: 

    • Vendors, themed food and drinks, and events at the Market at 7th Street. 
    • Land of Oz exhibition (self-guided) running in the Projective Eye Gallery.
    • Student art exhibition ‘Oz Illustrations’ (self-guided) running in the Popp Martin Student Union Art Gallery on the UNC Charlotte Main Campus.
    • Purple: Oz Club-hosted events. To register, please sign up for Dorothy’s Adventurer’s Pass! The pass includes: a 24-hour public transportation pass, a ticket for a showing of MGM’s Wizard of Oz with a live classic score by the Charlotte Symphony, a rooftop gala dinner with all your Oz Club friends, the fabulous Oz Club auction, a fee-free gift card to many of Charlotte’s most-delicious restaurants and coolest spots, and exclusive Oz Club programming, including special guests Randy Schmidt, Michael Raabe, and Oz Club favorites Jane Albright and Laura DeNooyer!
    • ☺: Oz Club presenter(s)
    • ♦♦Kids’ Programming: Special CharlOz Scavenger Hunt throughout ImaginOn.
    • ♦♦Kids’ Programming: Special CharlOz crafts in the Story Jar Area in ImaginOn

Please note: The majority of Saturday’s events will be held at ImaginOn: the Joe and Joan Martin Center, which is a three-minute walk from the convention hotel.

And now for a little bit more about those afternoon and evening presentations that I know we’re all looking forward to! Be on the lookout as well for some more details about the auction… there are always some fun and exciting goodies and collectibles to be had!

Laura DeNooyer, “My Love Affair with L. Frank Baum (don’t tell Maud) and Recipe for a Novel”
Laura DeNooyer’s pre-published novel, A Hundred Magical Reasons, is based on L. Frank Baum, his friendship with a young girl, and his impact on her through the decades. Come and learn about the challenges of writing historical fiction based on a real person.

As an award-winning author of heart-warming historical fiction, Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate and mother of four, she taught art and writing to middle school and high school students for decades. Growing up immersed in the Dutch culture that comprises southwest Michigan provides the context for her novel about L. Frank Baum’s summers at Macatawa Park. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, playing pickle ball, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip. Learn more on her website: https://lauradenooyer-author.com.

Jane Albright, “120 Years of Dorothy and Friends”
Jane Albright was a 13-year-old Oz book fan when she joined the International Wizard of Oz Club in 1971. A rare book library display of her nascent Oz/Baum collection soon piqued her interest in public exhibits. Her collection’s scope expanded to represent Oz productions, international Oz, vintage toys, art, autographs, housewares, and more.

Today, Jane’s collection fills the third floor of her home. She regularly supports public exhibits at museums, libraries, and other venues. Her presentation for us in Charlotte, “120 Years of Dorothy and Friends,” was originally developed for the United Federation of Doll Club’s convention.

Jane recently completed her second term as Club president. She currently creates the Club’s printed calendar, serves as production editor for Oziana, provides material for the Oz Club’s display case at the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas, writes occasionally for the Bugle, and remains involved in innumerable other Oz projects.

Randy L. Schmidt, “Mysteries of Oz: 85 Questions Answered”
Randy L. Schmidt is a music educator and author of the critically-acclaimed Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter, a New York Times Editor’s Choice and Wall Street Journal Best Seller. He also compiled and edited books on Judy Garland and Dolly Parton in the Musicians In Their Own Words series. As a documentary filmmaker, Schmidt wrote and produced the award-winning Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection (2023). As a kid, Schmidt was a card-carrying member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and attended numerous Oz conventions.

Michael Raabe, “OZ: A New Musical”
Michael is a music director, composer, and arranger for theaters and artists throughout Florida. He also music directed the Off-Broadway run of Disenchanted! Michael is the resident Music Director at freeFall Theatre, alongside artistic director Eric Davis. Raabe and Davis have been collaborating for more than a decade on re-imagined productions of classics such as Peter Pan, War of the Worlds and their 80’s inter-galactic rock take on The Pirates of Penzance. OZ: A New Musical (inspired by the life and work of L. Frank Baum) marks the longtime collaborators’ first original work together.

OZ: A New Musical is an original musical that explores the genius of L. Frank Baum and his complicated relationship with his most famous creation, the Land of Oz. With music by Michael Raabe, book by Eric Davis, and lyrics by Raabe and Davis, this is the story of a dreamer at the dawn of a new age who reinvented the fairy tale in a distinctly American way, painting an idealized and magical vision of a world where witches might be good, and what you’re seeking is already inside you.

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