‘The Wizard of Oz’ Play Opens Tonight in the Golden Triangle; Georgia Tech vs. Pitt (Wed., 1/6/16)

It’s all green light in Emerald City when the remake of “The Wizard of Oz” visits the Steel City. And should you want wizardry newer than Oz, there’s plenty of that scheduled for Pittsburgh stages too.

1) Update alert: If you haven’t heard “Red Shoes Blues” (above), you are missing the latest version of The Wizard of Oz. The song is one of the new numbers added by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber when they teamed with director Jeremy Sams to re-conceive the classic movie as a stage musical. Their Wizard premiered in London in 2011, and now the North American touring production is booked into Heinz Hall. The show also includes the songs that Judy Garland and company made famous in the 1939 film— “Over the Rainbow,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” “If I Only Had a Heart,” etc.—and, like the film, the new musical stays close to the plot of L. Frank Baum’s original children’s novel. Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Since then the Oz story has been adapted into plays, movies, and other media in languages from Turkish to Japanese. It has been animated, Motowned, and Muppeted. This is your chance to see it Riced and Webbered. 7:30 p.m. Through January 11. Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Cultural District. (MV)

2) The Pitt Panthers basketball team play Georgia Tech—the Rambling Wreck —in a little game of hoops. The ACC schedule is now in full swing. Jump ball is at 7 p.m. Petersen Events Center, 3719 Terrace St., Oakland.

3) Cappy’s Cafe in Shadyside is holding a Team Trivia contest tonight with Trivia Master John. 9 – 11 p.m. Yuengling draft special is $3 for a 20 oz. brew. 5431 Walnut St.

The Wizard of Oz photo, courtesy of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust via the touring company

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