'Wizard of Oz' fever building in Fallbrook

It is fairly common when kids get excited over an upcoming event, but the Fallbrook Players Junior Conservatory’s (FPJC) production of “The Wizard of Oz” has the entire town buzzing, young and old alike. The Fallbrook Downtown Merchant’s Association is sponsoring Mr. Jerry Maren, a.k.a. “The Lollipop Kid,” to visit Fallbrook the weekend of October 27, 28 & 29. Mr. Maren is best known as the Munchkin who handed Dorothy the lollipop in the 1939 movie version. There will be opportunities throughout the weekend for fans to meet Mr. Maren, pose for pictures and get autographs. In addition, those lucky enough to grab one of the hottest tickets in town will get a chance to see Mr. Maren reprise his role right here on the Mission Theater stage.

“There was a line down the street on the day I bought my tickets,” said Angie Sinclair, a mom with two kids in the show. “From what I hear, everyone in town is talking about buying a ticket.”

“‘The Wizard of Oz’ has brought our town together in a way I haven’t seen before,” said FPJC president Connie Knox. “Some folks are buying tickets especially to see ‘The Lollipop Kid,’ some are buying tickets to support the VFW’s poppy fundraiser, some are going to see the sets they helped build on stage and some are going because their child won a ticket through the library’s poster contest.”

Included in the organizations helping to support “The Wizard of Oz” is the San Diego County Library. “I am amazed at the response I received when I put out a notice to the community that I was looking for ‘Wizard of Oz’ memorabilia,” commented Sylvia Ginoza, children’s librarian at the Fallbrook Library. “I have had people of all ages and all walks of life sharing beloved items from their collections for our lobby display. It seems that ‘The Wizard of Oz’ touches people in such a way that it becomes part of their lives. I will keep the items displayed throughout October and I hope a lot of people come by to see it.”

“The Wizard of Oz” runs from October 27 through November 12. Friday and Saturday show times are 7:30 p.m., while the Sunday matinees begin at 2:00. Tickets may be purchased at the Mission Theater Box Office or by calling (760) 731-2278.