The Wizard of Oz, which runs until December 23, has officially become the biggest festive production ever staged at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

Third success for venue after £10 million grant and top award from Chamber of Commerce

Thousands of families are following the yellow brick road to a Highland Perthshire arts hub, helping create the venue’s most successful Christmas show.

The Wizard of Oz has officially become the biggest festive production ever staged at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

It comes as a triple boost for the registered charity following the grant of £10 million of Tay Cities Deal funding for a major revamp and a top award from Perth’s Chamber of Commerce.

The show, which runs until December 23, was declared a box office smash with more than 16,000 ticket sales. Venue staff said the production, which follows the colourful adventures of Dorothy in the land of Oz, had attracted families from throughout Scotland, the UK and beyond.

Its startling trajectory has seen the Wizard of Oz zoom past previous winter musicals such as White Christmas, Miracle On 34th Street and last year’s title-holder, Singin’ In The Rain.

There was early buzz for the Wizard of Oz when theatre bosses launched the search for their Toto. After a series of auditions in October, terrier Evie and Tibetan spaniel/chihuahua cross Barney were picked for the high-profile role.

The theatre also enlisted the help of children from Pitlochry Primary School to design posters for the much-loved musical.

Many youngsters joined the cast as inhabitants of Munchkinland.

Rachel Flynn takes on the iconic role of Dorothy, having flexed her leading lady vocals in musical theatre productions such as Cinderella and Fame.

The rest of her Yellow Brick Road Gang are Daniel Bailey who plays The Scarecrow, Will Knights who plays The Tin Man and Marc Akinfolarin who is cast in the role of the Cowardly Lion. Their collective West End credits include The Lion King, Wicked, Mamma Mia! Motown: The Musical, and Spamalot!

The Wicked Witch of The West is Camille Marmié, from Iceland.

The theatre team is already working on next year’s seasonal show, a newly commissioned adaptation of A Christmas Carol by a soon-to-berevealed Scottish playwright.

Tickets have gone on sale for the 2019 production.

There was early buzz for the Wizard of Oz when theatre bosses launched the search for their Toto

Picture: Douglas McBride. The Wizard of Oz has officially become the biggest festive production ever staged at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.