 Credit: Susan Shorter WFIU Public Radio is partnering with Starrynight Productions and Soundbooth Theater on a new four-part audio play series adapted from L. Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Writer/director Russell McGee (Big Finish Doctor Who plays) and producer/actor Michael Brainard (All My Children) are collaborating with Soundbooth’s Jeff Hays to produce The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as both a radio series and podcast. Previously, McGee and Brainard worked with WFIU on the podcast and radio series The Ernie Pyle Experiment!, released in 2020. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz follows the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto. After their Kansas home is swept away by a cyclone, Dorothy and Toto find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here Dorothy meets the Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powerful Wizard of Oz. Along the way, Dorothy and her friends must fend off the Wicked Witch of the West. The audio series features the talents of actors Franc Ross (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Deadwood), P.J. Ochlan (Emmy nominee for Young Sheldon, Little Man Tate, Police Academy: The TV Series), Greta Lind (Rudy, All My Children), Bert Rotundo (Silicon Valley, Marvel’s Agent Carter), and Leraldo Anzaldua (Gatchaman, Highschool of the Dead, Starship Troopers: Invasion), among others.  Credit: Susan Shorter The first episode of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz airs Saturday, February 4 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 and Sunday, February 5 at 6 p.m. on WFIU. Subsequent episodes will air Saturdays at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 on February 11, February 18, and February 25 and Sundays at 6 p.m. on WFIU on February 12, February 19, and February 26. The series will also be distributed by Soundbooth Theater as a podcast starting this May. A special behind-the-scenes episode of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz will air Saturday, March 4 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 and Sunday, March 5 at 6 p.m. on WFIU. The cast and crew reveal how the series was made and share what Oz means to them and why the story is relevant for today’s audience. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is made possible with support from Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Episode descriptions, air dates, and cast member lists and bios follow on pages 2-7 of this release. About WFIU WFIU is an NPR member station and south-central Indiana’s source for news and classical and jazz music, broadcasting from the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington. WFIU is available at 103.7 FM in Bloomington and Seymour, 100.7 FM in Columbus, 101.7 FM in French Lick/West Baden, 98.9 FM in Greensburg, 106.1 FM in Kokomo, and 95.1 FM in Terre Haute. WFIU2 is available at 101.9 FM in Bloomington and 100.1 FM in Seymour. Both stations also stream online at wfiu.org. About Starrynight Productions Starrynight Productions, LLC. is a small, independent film, television, audio theater, and theater production company dedicated to providing quality entertainment and professional work for area artists. More information is available at starrynight-productions.com. About Soundbooth Theater Founded by Jeff Hays, narrator of Dungeon Crawler Carl, Soundbooth Theater produces multi-cast audiobooks and Cinematic Audio, which are dramatizations that are enhanced with sound effects and music. In addition to its extensive catalogue on Audible, Soundbooth Theater publishes content directly to its website and apps. Learn more at soundbooththeater.com. EPISODE 1 – THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS Saturday, February 4 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 Sunday, February 5 at 6 p.m. on WFIU The adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, begin as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and they find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here she meets the good witch, Locasta Tattypoo, and the Munchkins. Then she joins the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powerful Wizard of Oz. CAST LIST Michael Brainard Narrator/L. Frank Baum Ellise Chase Dorothy Josh Burkholder Toto P.J. Ochlan Scarecrow Franc Ross Cowardly Lion John Kraft Tin Woodman Megan Massie Locasta Tattypoo Annie Ellicot Wicked Witch of the East Roy Sillings Uncle Henry, Boq Kate Braun Aunt Em Emily McGee Malvonia Andrea Emmes Premonia, Nimmie Amee Sheryl Doades Semponia Nicholas Krohn Peter Pop, Crow Three Thomas Tiggleman Tommie Top, Crow Two Eric Shelley Simon Slick, Old Crow, Farmer Steve Scott Ku-Klip, Crow One, Robbie Rock EPISODE 2 – THE JOURNEY TO THE GREAT OZ Saturday, February 11 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 Sunday, February 12 at 6 p.m. on WFIU Dorothy and the company of friends continue to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City. Along the way, they have countless adventures, from the monstrous Kalidahs to the field of deadly poppies. They also make many new friends who help them, like the Queen of the Field Mice. But will the great Wizard of Oz grant Dorothy and her friends their hearts’ desires? CAST LIST Michael Brainard Narrator Ellise Chase Dorothy Josh Burkholder Toto P.J. Ochlan Scarecrow Franc Ross Cowardly Lion John Kraft Tin Woodman Jeff Hays Oz, all parts Greta Lind Mouse Three Annie Ellicot Mouse Two, Jellia Jamb Brandon Wentz Guardian Gruph Emily McGee Queen Mouse, Oz Woman Andrea Emmes Mouse One, Oz Child Leraldo Anzaldua Omby Amby Zach Johnson Oz Man EPISODE 3 – THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST Saturday, February 18 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 Sunday, February 19 at 6 p.m. on WFIU The Wizard sends Dorothy and her friends to destroy the Wicked Witch of the West but before they may act, the Witch sends her minions to foil their plans. Soon King Crow and his flock descend upon them, followed by a pack of ferocious wolves and the mischievous Winged Monkeys! Will Dorothy ever get back to Kansas or will she spend the rest of her days as a slave of the Wicked Witch? CAST LIST Michael Brainard Narrator Ellise Chase Dorothy Josh Burkholder Toto P.J. Ochlan Scarecrow Franc Ross Cowardly Lion John Kraft Tin Woodman Greta Lind Mouse Three Annie Ellicot Mouse Two, Gayelette Roy Sillings Grandfather Winged Monkey Kate Braun Wicked Witch of the West Nate Erdel Winged Monkey Leader, Wolf Two Brandon Wentz Guardian Gruph, Wiljoy Emily McGee Queen Mouse, Kamie Soforth, Kitten Andrea Emmes Mouse One, Peasant Girl Leraldo Anzaldua Omby Amby Bert Rotundo Wuzzlegum, Wolf One Thomas Tiggleman Winged Monkey Two, Crow Two Eric Shelley King Crow, Winged Monkey One Zach Johnson Winged Monkey Three, Quelala, Wolf Three Steve Scott Leader of the Wolves, Crow One EPISODE 4 – THE MAGIC ART OF OZ Saturday, February 25 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 Sunday, February 26 at 6 p.m. on WFIU The Wizard is true to his word, and he grants each of the company of friends their hearts’ desires. However, as Dorothy prepares to leave, Toto is missing and the Wizard is unable to delay the balloon’s launch. And so, the group of friends set out yet again across the marvelous land of Oz, meeting the Porcelain Princess and the obnoxious Hammer Heads, as they seek Glinda the Good to help Dorothy find another way home. CAST LIST Michael Brainard Narrator Ellise Chase Dorothy Josh Burkholder Toto P.J. Ochlan Scarecrow Franc Ross Cowardly Lion John Kraft Tin Woodman, Mr. Joker Jeff Hays Oz, all parts Greta Lind Glinda Megan Massie China Princess, Fox One, Beatrix Annie Ellicot Jellia Jamb, Lyrix Roy Sillings Uncle Henry Kate Braun Aunt Em Nate Erdel Winged Monkey Leader, Wolf Two, Hammer Head Three Brandon Wentz Guardian Gruph, Tiger One Andrea Emmes Hammer Head Four Sheryl Doades China Milkmaid, Fox Two, Farmer’s Wife Leraldo Anzaldua Omby Amby, Hungry Tiger Thomas Tiggleman Winged Monkey Two, Crow One, Hammer Head Leader Eric Shelley Winged Monkey One, King Crow, Hammer Head One Zach Johnson Winged Monkey Three, Wolf Three, Hammer Head Two Steve Scott Spider Monster EPISODE 5 – BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF OZ Saturday, March 4 at 5 p.m. on WFIU2 Sunday, March 5 at 6 p.m. on WFIU Join the cast and crew of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as they pull back the curtain and discuss the behind-the-scenes process of the production. They share personal stories about the importance of this beloved fairytale and the relevance of the story today for a modern audience. The cast and crew also reveal some tricks of the trade, such as how the actors found their voice in each character and how the novel was adapted into a full-cast audio play. CAST BIOS Leraldo Anzaldua is a Houston, Texas, based actor, performance and motion capture for film and video games performer, anime voice over artist, and fight director with the Society of American Fight Directors. He is a voice over talent for more than 100 characters with Sentai Filmworks with his most prominent roles including Ken/ G-1 (Gatchaman); Takashi (Highschool of the Dead); Ralph (Halo Legends), Noda (Angel Beats), Kei Tsukishima (Haikyu!); Ryo Kurokiba (Food Wars!), and Yuta Togashi (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions). With Funimation, he has voiced Largo (One Piece) and many more roles. He has many titles currently on Netflix, Hulu, and Cartoon Network/Adult Swim. He has been a motion capture performer and fight director with Sony Pictures in Tokyo, Japan and a motion capture fight director and talent for video games in Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden. Anzaldua received a master’s in acting from the University of Houston and is currently an assistant professor of movement and stage combat with the Department of Theatre, Drama & Contemporary Dance at Indiana University. Kate Braun has appeared in many plays and films. She is looking forward to the playing the Wicked Witch of the West, a character who gave her nightmares for years according to her poor mother! Michael Brainard is a writer/producer/actor living in Los Angeles, California. Brainard is most well-known for his roles in daytime television drama, including ABC’s All My Children and NBC’s Santa Barbara. His recent work includes WFIU’s The Ernie Pyle Experiment!, MyNetworkTV’s American Heiress, the independent film Killing Ariel, Disney’s Invincible, and a starring role in Robert Fontaine’s feature Mi America. A cornfed native Hoosier, Josh Burkholder found his passion for the performing arts early while he studied at Indiana University in Bloomington. Recently finding the fun and joy in doing podcasts and vocal performances, he is happy to be included in such an incredible cast. Ellise Chase is an Erie, Pennsylvania, native with a master’s in acting from Indiana University in Bloomington. She was last heard on The Ernie Pyle Experiment! as Amelia Earhart. The majority of Ellise’s acting has been on stage, with her favorite roles being Hester Swane (By the Bog of Cats), Stella (A Streetcar Named Desire) and Smeraldina (The Servant of Two Masters). Ellise is thrilled to be back in the world of podcasts and is recording from her home studio in Erie. Sheryl Doades is originally from New York and now based out of Bloomington, Indiana. Doades has performed and directed across the US, Canada, and overseas. Doades’s audio credits include Back Issues, written by Nicholas Krohn and directed by Russell McGee (Anne Marie Redmond) and Flashback to Never (Linda Kramer). On the stage, Doades’s favorite credits include Evil Dead the Musical (Cheryl), Seussical the Musical (Gertrude McFuzz), Bloomington Playwrights Project’s The Enlightenment of Percival von Schmootz (Mother), Urinetown the Musical (Ms. Pennywise), and Hercules and Hero School (Medusa). Annie Ellicott is a jazz vocalist and songwriter who in recent years has expanded into the voice over world, acquiring a substantial fan base from her work with Soundbooth Theater. She has toured the US and Europe, from Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park to Caveau de la Huchette in Paris, singing traditional jazz and original compositions. Ellicott has appeared with Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, performing jazz and bebop with smatterings of comedy improv at San Francisco Sketch Fest 2016-18, Glastonbury Festival 2019 in London, and is a recurring guest entertainer with the band. Nathan Erdel is a writer, actor, and filmmaker, whose screenwriting credits include the films Unwelcome, The Legend of Wasco, and the indie cult hit Headless, which won Best Feature at Phil Anselmo’s Housecore Horror Festival. He has also contributed stories in two volumes of the horror-anthology comic book Tales from the Cryptic Closet. Erdel originated the role of Ed Wood in the musical comedy audio drama Ed Wood: The Musical and can also be seen as himself on The Travel Channel’s True Terror with Robert Englund. He is a senior crew member for Sammy Terry, the world's longest running horror host, where he portrays Sammy’s loyal butler, Ghoulsby. Andrea Emmes is an award-winning voice over actor/audiobook narrator who has been performing on stage, TV/film, and voice over for more than 25 years. Diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome in 2006, Emmes has carved an empowered new path in life as differently abled. Emmes’s previous credits include Voyage of the Little Mermaid (sang as Ariel at Walt Disney World), best-selling audiobook narrator (Little Women and the Max Einstein series), Best Female Narrator (Independent Audiobook Awards), voice over announcer for Pencil First Games, Vegas headliner (sang/danced in the girl group The GG Girls), recording artist, and producer of the award-winning animated short film, Mila. Jeff Hays believes in versatility as a voice actor. His dedication to animating characters in audio has elevated the material he narrates in a way that inspires listeners to follow him in the same way they follow authors. As a musician, he has always loved sound, immersive storytelling, and collaboration with other actors. This passion led Hays to found Soundbooth Theater in 2017. Originally conceived to produce even more audiobooks with other narrators teaming up for multicast performances, he began experimenting with sound effects and music in productions. His path led him to create fully produced audio dramas and start his own independent audio distribution and listening platform. Partnering with Russell McGee and Starrynight Productions to bring this adaptation The Wizard of Oz into audio is another exciting step deeper into his exploration of audio theater. A performer from a young age, Zach Johnson has translated a lifelong love of accents, impressions, characters, and acting into a thriving career in audiobooks. With over 100 titles to his name or one of his pseudonyms and training in stage acting, vocal performance, narration, and even mathematics lecturing from some of the best in the business, Johnson has brought books—both fiction and nonfiction, spanning virtually every genre—to life. When he’s not narrating, you can find him performing standup comedy, deep into an epic campaign of Dungeons and Dragons, memorizing mathematical proofs, and expanding his considerable repertoire of dad jokes. John Kraft is an Arizona-based opera singer and actor with over 13 years of stage experience. He was born in Connecticut, received his bachelor’s at DePauw University in Indiana, and his master’s in opera at Arizona State University. Kraft regularly performs with Arizona Opera and the Chandler Opera Company and has recently appeared with Prescott Pops Symphony, the Euphony Ensemble, and with several orchestras and ensembles. Nicholas Krohn has been involved in the arts for more than thirty years as an actor, writer, director and sound designer for stage, film, and audio. His most recent role was Doctor Victor Frankenstein in an award-winning radio adaptation of Shelley's novel. His writing has also been recognized at the 2019 Hear Now Festival. He would like to thank his mother and Linda Reising, who conspired many years ago to set him on this path. Greta Lind is an actor, author, and bodyworker. Lind is a lifelong creative whose work spans diverse mediums including theater, podcasts, television, and film, where she’s appeared in All My Children and the hit film Rudy. Her recent work includes the audio drama series The Ernie Pyle Experiment!, a finalist in the Audie Awards. Lind’s debut novel, Split Open, was published in 2021 by Pond Reads Press (audiobook coming soon), and she has co-facilitated writing circles with Young Women Writing for (a) Change in Bloomington, Indiana, where she currently lives. She raised two wonderful boys into young adulthood. Megan Massie is a film, stage, and voice over actress with a love for positive stories that radiate hope. She has voiced spots for top brands including Universal Studios, Sara Lee, P&G, Bayer Advantage II, and Tire Discounters. When not in the booth, she treads the boards, most recently performing as Ada Lovelace in Cardinal Stage’s Ada and the Engine and Lucy in Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Dracula, and directing the world premiere production of Ossietzky: A Peace Play. Her recent film credits include Adeline, Wretch, Just One Life, and the upcoming comedy web series Bagged and Bored. Emily McGee is an Emmy-nominated actor, who received her master’s in music specializing in vocal performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She has been seen on stage and behind the scenes as an actor, voice over artist, director, producer, and puppeteer for various film and theater companies, including the Phoenix Theatre, Cardinal Stage, Bloomington Playwrights Project, Breakfast Anytime! Improv and Sketch Comedy, WTIU, and Forbidden Films. Award-winning actor, producer, and coach P.J. Ochlan has been working in the entertainment industry for 35 years. His diverse career has included Broadway, the NY Shakespeare Festival under Joseph Papp, critically acclaimed feature films, and numerous television guest star and series regular roles. Along the way he’s worked with countless icons including Jodie Foster, Clint Eastwood, Robin Williams, and Al Pacino. He recently appeared on Young Sheldon as Rene Descartes. Ochlan is best known behind the microphone as a widely acclaimed and record-setting audiobook narrator of more than 500 titles. His work has been recognized with multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, Voice Arts Awards, and the Odyssey Award. Ochlan is also one of the industry’s leading dialect and performance coaches. He is the founder of Dr. Dialect (drdialect.com), co-founder of the Deyan Institute of Voice Artistry in Los Angeles and teaches from coast to coast at conferences and universities. Ochlan is the official dialect coach for Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so he’s one of the only people on the planet who actually teaches at Hogwarts. Franc Ross graduated from the American Conservatory Theatre’s MFA program and has spent the last 40 years on various stages throughout the country, appearing in classical plays, including pieces by Shakespeare, Chekov, Ibsen, and Gorky. He has frequently appeared as a guest star on popular television series, from The West Wing and ER to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Ross greatly enjoys voice acting and is delighted to be a part of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz project. Bert Rotundo has appeared on stage both in New York and Los Angeles, on the big screen, the little screen, and has voiced my many characters as a voice over artist. Some of his recent credits include HBO’s Silicon Valley, ABC’s Famous in Love and Marvel’s Agent Carter. He recently wrapped the feature film The Naked Umbrella, which he also co-produced, starring opposite Emmy-winner Jeremy Davies, Tom Arnold, and Taryn Manning. Rotundo is an executive producer of the web sensation Generation Awesome whose viral series The Bartender Hates You was featured on the pilot of TOSH.0. Steve Scott has performed in 16 theater and voice acting productions since stepping on stage for the first time in 2012. He appeared in Bloomington Playwrights Project’s performances of 30 Day Mourning Period (Larry), Beating a Dead Horse (Fritz), The Oregon Trail (Clancy), and Fortunato Heist (The Spider). Before the pandemic, Scott was cast as serial killer Ralph Ian Wantage in Monroe County Civic Theater’s production of Bryony Lavery’s Frozen. He also voiced the characters Dick and Denver in WFIU’s The Ernie Pyle Experiment! and the voice of Fred Porlock in Cardinal Stage’s radio drama Predisposed to Violins. Eric Shelley is a native Hoosier and a graduate of Indiana University’s Theatre and Drama program. Shelley’s credits include Lost Letters (Bloomington Playwrights Project), Shortly After Takeoff (Harbor Theatre Company, NYC), Only a Lad (New York International Fringe Festival), Harold & Maude (Theatreworks Palo Alto, Dean Goodman Choice Award), Peter Pan (Asolo Repertory, Pioneer Theatre Company), Grease (European Tour), Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Secret Garden (Fulton Opera House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Oliver! (Westchester Broadway Theatre, West Virginia Public Theatre, Gateway Playhouse), Disney Dreams, Hercules The Musical (Disney Theatricals). Film: The Talented Mr. Avery (Neon Films), Second Born, Spider-Man, and the web series Absolution: The Series. Shelley has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2000. Roy Sillings has been active in Bloomington, Indiana, theater for the last 20 years. He has performed major roles in over 20 Shakespeare productions including Cymbeline, Malvolio, Prospero, and Lear. Numerous other non-bard roles range from Dracula to Humpty Dumpty. He has appeared professionally in Cardinal Stage plays and acted in several films and audio programs. Sillings has performed several times at the Indy Fringe Festival, designed and executed several stage sets, and written for the theater. He serves on the board of Monroe County Civic Theater. Thomas Tiggleman immerses himself in all aspects of entertainment. From singing on stage as Jacey Squires in IU Opera’s The Music Man and Inspector Newcomen in Ivy Tech’s production of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, to film combat in Tugboat Films’ Thin Brothers and Grumpy Golden’s Mirror Station. He has also served a decade as the master electrician for the Bloomington Playwrights Project. Returning to his first love with some of his favorite people, he proudly joins the cast of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Brandon Wentz is an actor and voice over artist from Indianapolis. He is the co-host for the PBS/WTIU show Journey Indiana, the host and GM of the award-winning actual play podcast The Critshow, and most recently the voice of William Shakespeare in ShakesFEAR at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre.
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