TEMECULA - Chaparral High School will perform its spring musical, "The Wiz!," beginning Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. in the school’s Performing Arts Center. General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students, military personnel, and seniors 55+.

Tickets are now on sale and may be purchased during regular school hours from the bookkeeping office or at the theater box office the day of the performance. The show runs Feb. 23, 24, and March 2 at 7 p.m.; a 2 p.m. matinee is scheduled for Feb. 25 and March 3.

"The Wiz!" is the Tony Award-winning musical made popular by the 1978 film by the same name. Stephanie Mills originated the role on Broadway in 1975, but its popularity grew from the film which starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. The musical is a retelling and re-imagining of the classic "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" written by L. Frank Baum.

In the musical, instead of her Kansas farm, Dorothy is transported from her suburban home to the urbanized and industrialized Land of Oz.

"The best way to describe ‘The Wiz!’ is that it’s a funky, rock-and-roll, hip-hop-disco version of ‘The Wizard of Oz,’" said teacher Chris Irvin, who is the musical’s director. "It’s ‘The Advertisement

[ The Tutoring Center ] Wizard of Oz’ for grown-ups, but all ages will love it. It’s a crazy, crazy show."

The buzz for "The Wiz!" began last year after Chaparral’s hugely successful production of Little Shop of Horrors. The excitement generated from that show drove everyone involved to want to do another musical. It also motivated students who had never thought to try out for a play, let alone a musical, to audition.

"I thought Little Shop of Horrors was huge," Irvin said. "This show is even bigger. With a cast of 35, multiple costumes, huge set pieces, large production numbers, and special effects, "The Wiz!" beats out last year’s show as the biggest musical to be performed at CHS," he noted.

Heading the cast is ninth-grader Lexi Gunn as Dorothy. Also included are Quiera Thomas as Aunt Em, James Bowen as The Scarecrow, Samuel Irvin as Tin Man, Sean Bendon as Lion, Taylor Lindsley as Glinda the Good Witch of the South, Anna Duchi as Addaperle the Good Witch of the North, Mauricea Murray as Evillene the Witch of the West, and Mikal Davis as The Wiz.

Chaparral High School is located at 27215 Nicolas Road in Temecula.

For further information, contact Chris Irvin at (951) 695-4200, ext. 155 or cirvin@tvusd.k12.ca.us.