Ballet school’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ on tap for Sottile Theatre

The family-oriented “Wizard of Oz,” produced by the CBT Center for Dance Education, will open at 2 p.m. March 23 at the Sottile Theatre for a three-performance run.

The 90-minute ballet also will be presented at 5 p.m. March 23 and 2 p.m. March 24.

General admission tickets cost $15 for children and $29 for adults and can be purchased online at www.charlestonballettheatreschool.org or by calling 723-7334.

The production involves 79 cast members ranging in age from 6 to 55, including Natalie Rossi from the Richmond Ballet as Dorothy and former Charleston Ballet company member Bridget Halloran as the Wicked Witch of the West.

The show originally was scheduled as part of the Charleston Ballet’s children’s series, but will be presented by the ballet school instead after the professional company ceased operations last month because of financial and administrative problems.

Choreographer Jill Eathorne Bahr and school director Patricia Cantwell decided to move ahead with the “Wizard of Oz” because it is “a fun way to thank families for their past support,” they said in a statement. “Too many young children, families and dancers would miss out if we did not step forward.”

The dance school will continue to operate, its staff said.

“The artistic team of Don and Patricia Cantwell and Resident Choreographer Jill Eathorne Bahr will continue to offer the highest level of instruction and productions as transitions continue,” they said.