This fall, Columbus Children’s Theatre (CCT) will unveil In the Land of Oz, a bold new immersive experience blending horror, theatricality, and interactive storytelling just in time for Halloween.
Opening September 26 and running through November 2 at 1165 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215. In the Land of Oz invites audiences into a fully walkable, living world where no two paths are the same. Guests explore the twisted remnants of a familiar story gone wrong, beginning in the fictional roadside exhibit “Hank Gale’s Wonderful Museum of Oz” before plunging into a haunted, decaying version of Oz itself. Audiences won’t just watch the story unfold; they’ll walk through it. There are no seats, no fourth wall. Just you, the storm, and whatever you’re brave enough to follow.
The experience is designed for adults and teens (ages 10+) and features a professional cast of paid youth and adult performers – a cornerstone of CCT’s mission to elevate artist employment and create new pathways for young creatives to train, collaborate, and thrive.
"Oz is a story people think they know, which makes it the perfect one to unmake," says Evan Joslyn, the experience’s playwright. “We wanted to crack open the myth and ask what happens when nostalgia curdles.”
In the Land of Oz follows the near-sold-out success of CCT’s 2023 immersive hit, The Sleepwalker of Holstenwall, and significantly expands the scale and ambition of immersive work in the region.
The production continues CCT’s new Professional Series, which will bring ambitious theatrical work to adult and teen audiences while continuing to center innovation, artistry, and education.
"This is not a departure from our mission, it’s a natural evolution of it," says Zac DelMonte, CCT Artistic Director and creator/director of the production. “With Oz, we’re telling stories that challenge expectations and give Columbus something truly original. The result in this case is
eerie, intimate, and visually massive, and we think Columbus is more than ready for it. This is part of what it looks like when a children’s theatre grows up alongside its artists and community.”
Timed for Halloween, In the Land of Oz is a major addition to Central Ohio’s “Spooky Season” calendar – a must-see for horror fans, immersive theatre lovers, and anyone searching for a smart, scream-worthy October tradition.
It’s also a milestone for CCT:
● The first Professional Series production of the 25-26 season, expanding what theatre can be for adult and teen audiences.
● A fully paid opportunity for youth and adult performers – part of their mission to grow and employ artists of all ages, and to provide real-world experience and on-the-job training for young artists alongside industry professionals.
● And one of the largest immersive theatre builds in the state – a creative leap that no other Central Ohio company is attempting at this scale.
This is more than a show. It’s a statement.
Tickets for In the Land of Oz go on sale in August, with limited capacity performances expected to fill quickly.
PERFORMANCE DATES In the Land of Oz September 26 – November 2, 2025 1165 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 Recommended for ages 10+
ABOUT COLUMBUS CHILDREN’S THEATRE Columbus Children’s Theatre (CCT) is one of Central Ohio’s longest-running nonprofit arts institutions, producing high-quality theatre for young audiences while creating opportunities for youth and adults to work, train, and grow as artists. With over 60 years of history, CCT continues to transform lives through the power of story: onstage, in the classroom, and beyond.
