It’s almost time to click your heels, gather your friends, and follow the yellow-brick road to another dazzling musical production from The Cresset Arts and Theatre School (CATS). Don’t miss this year’s fantastic show: The Wizard of Oz, which has performances running from 6th-10th October 2026.
The production brings together a cast of around 80 talented local young performers, who are ready to thrill audiences with their memorable rendition of this much-loved tale. Alongside them, Ame Jaarsma and Jessica Taylor share the starring role of Dorothy, supported by a talented adult principal cast.
Monique Benoiton‑Smith, Youth Theatre Director at The Cresset, says: “We’re excited to be putting on The Wizard of Oz this year. We call it a youth production because it’s primarily young performers. Our cast are aged 9+, and we’re really lucky to have some amazingly talented young people in Peterborough.”
She continues, “The performers gain a huge amount of rehearsal time over a 12-week period with lots of input from the professional production team. They all learn from each other and build amazing, lifelong bonds. Audiences love seeing their favourite childhood stories live on stage because it becomes such an immersive experience.”
Following on from last year’s best-selling run of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was described as “A joy-filled production”, this year’s show is set to be truly spectacular. Experience the classic tale of hope, friendship, and discovery, brought to life through memorable musical performances.
Monique says, “It’s such a brilliant show for families. Children like to watch other young people performing, because they can aspire to it. If it’s something they’re interested in, they may think, ‘I could do that too!’ And because we’ve got people with different levels of experience performing, it shows that acting on a stage is not unreachable for anybody. It’s really inspirational.”
Don’t miss your chance to see this year’s fabulous production of The Wizard of Oz, which runs from 6th-10th October 2026, with tickets priced from £21. For more information and to book your place, visit www.cresset.co.uk/shows/the-wizard-of-oz. Keep up to date with all The Cresset’s latest news and events on Facebook and Instagram too.
