There’s no place like home... and this fall, there’s no place quite like the Kauffman Center.
Kansas City Ballet is kicking off its 2026-2027 season with the return of Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz, coming to the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Oct. 16-25, 2026.
If you’re looking for a memorable family outing this fall, this one brings plenty of magic. Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are all headed back down the Yellow Brick Road in a production filled with colorful costumes, puppetry, special effects, live music, and even flying dancers.
A little extra Oz magic this year
Kansas City Ballet’s production features eight dancers taking flight, the most of any production in the company’s repertoire and matching the number featured when The Wizard of Oz was last performed in Kansas City four years ago.
This year’s production also incorporates new LED stage technology designed to bring some of Oz’s most recognizable moments to life in a whole new way.
And the details are seriously impressive. The production includes 220 pointe shoes hand-painted in 23 different colors, including six different shades of green. Dorothy’s famous ruby slippers are decorated with 288 hand-placed jewels.
The story families know and love
Septime Webre’s production follows Dorothy and her puppet companion, Toto, after they’re swept away to the magical world of Oz.
Along the way, they meet three unexpected friends, travel to the Emerald City, face the Wicked Witch, and discover a few important things about courage, heart, brains, friendship, and home.
The ballet features choreography by Septime Webre and an original score by Matthew Pierce, performed live by the Kansas City Symphony under the direction of Kansas City Ballet Music Director and Conductor Ramona Pansegrau.
Performance dates
The Wizard of Oz will be performed at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri, on:
- Friday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets start at $39 plus fees.
High school and higher education students can purchase tickets online for $24 plus fees, and discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
Families can also arrive early for a free Pre-Curtain Talk one hour before each performance. Part of the Belger Footnote Series, the talks offer a behind-the-scenes look at the choreography, design, music, and history of the production. No reservation is required.
Want to go?
🎟️ Kansas City Ballet presents The Wizard of Oz
📅 Oct. 16-25, 2026
📍 Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
💰 Tickets start at $39 plus fees
🌐 Visit kcballet.org or call 816-931-8993 for tickets and complete information.
Whether your kids already know every word of the story or this will be their first trip over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz offers a pretty spectacular way to introduce them to the magic of live ballet.
Storylines and visual elements from the MGM Motion Picture THE WIZARD OF OZ are provided by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
