"True friends bring out the best in us," said Ben Ginder, describing one of the lessons audiences can take away from "The Wizard of Oz." Manheim Central High School will perform the musical at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 10; at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12; and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 13. Due to ongoing construction at the high school, the show will be performed at Manheim Central Middle School, 261 White Oak Road.

Ben, a junior, plays the Tin Man in the production. He said getting into character has been both fun and challenging. "My character rusts up a lot, so I've had to learn how to walk differently and move differently from the way I would normally be on stage," he explained.

He's joined on stage by a cast of characters who tell the story of a young girl and her experiences in the land of Oz. "The musical is very similar to the movie," said Ezekiel Ruffner, a senior who portrays the Scarecrow. "The girl is joined by three friends - a scarecrow, a tin man and a lion - who help her along the way. They are all in search of something for themselves."

The Cowardly Lion is played by junior Jonathan Wenger, who said the show will appeal to people of all ages. "Audiences can expect a great family-friendly show full of laughter and drama and everything in between," he stated. "It's a feel-good story."

Ezekiel noted that the show features a variety of special effects on stage, including the use of fog machines and sparking technology to simulate fire. "The witch tries to light the scarecrow on fire, but I hope she doesn't succeed," he said with a smile.

Senior Madison Kreider portrays Dorothy in the production and said the show is full of life lessons. "It's a fun story to watch, but you'll also learn from it," she remarked. "You'll learn that you don't always appreciate the things you have until they are gone. It's also about the idea of home, what home is and why it matters."

Ezekiel added that he also sees a variety of lessons to be learned from "The Wizard of Oz," including the importance of believing in yourself.

"The scarecrow wants a brain, the lion wants courage, and the tin man wants a heart, but the characters learn they don't really need to be given those things to be happy," he stated. "They learn that they already had those things inside them."

To promote the show, the cast will host a meet-and-greet at the middle school on Saturday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to noon. It will feature photo opportunities with the characters, games and crafts, along with a short preview of the musical. There is an admission charge for the meet-and-greet, and tickets will also be on sale for the main performances.

Tickets for "The Wizard of Oz" may be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/yc2brbh5 or at the door.