The magic begins this week when thespians from Warrenton High School tell the timeless story of a girl and her dog who are swept up in a great twister and meet the magical characters in the land of Oz.

“The Wizard of Oz” musical will be performed Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 10-12, at 7 p.m. at the Warrenton High School theater.

Alexandra Chandler, who steps into the character of Dorothy for her first lead role, said the production has a special meaning to her. She missed getting the lead role for Dorothy during her fourth-grade year and was a stand-in. This time she was accidently left off the callback list until it was noticed and she was asked to return to school for a second round of auditions before being chosen for the role of Dorothy.

“It’s my favorite play,” she said. “Even though it’s a little stressful, I’m happy to play her. Dorothy has found her home, just like I have found mine. It’s every dream come true, just like the song says.”

Aaron Catron and Reece Bailey, both seniors, are the stage managers for the production. They said costuming and makeup have been challenging, but the cast of more than 30 students and one live dog (Ricky) have worked very hard to get the show ready. In addition to the cast, 15 crew members are behind the curtain putting all the details together.

“Alexandra really shows the emotion of Dorothy,” said Bailey. “She has been very dedicated to the role.”

Catron said the Cowardly Lion (Noah Agler), Tin Man (Julian Miller) and Scarecrow (Owen Flores) were easy to fill.

“They just kind of fell right into their spots,” said Catron. “They are pretty perfect for these roles.”

“The scarecrow is kind of dumb and clumsy,” said Flores. “And it’s like that for me in real life too.”

Agler said the Cowardly Lion is easy. He said he had a lot of spooky things from his childhood he could draw from. Miller said he could be kind of heartless so the Tin Man worked for him. The famous trio, along with Dorothy, have formed a unique friendship they will miss when the show is over.

Becca Spencer, who sees herself as a basically a nice girl, plays the role of the Wicked Witch of the West.

“I underestimated how fun it would be to be the bad guy,” she said. “I’m not mean in person.”

Dayne Logan, who plays the Good Witch Glinda, can be seen “flying” in her beautiful pink ball gown and crown. It was her idea to use a Segway to float around the stage in lieu of actually flying.

“This is my first musical so far,” she said. “I feel like I’m a fairy.”

Logan attributes the success of the show to rookie theater teacher Alexandra Soloman, who is debuting this year at Warrenton High School.

“The atmosphere here at Warrenton is totally different than what I’m used to,” she said. “I love the sense of community and the wholesomeness that I experience here. The parents want to help and everyone has been so welcoming.”

Soloman also has a unique nostalgic attachment to the production since it was also the first play she participated in when she was a student. She said she was hesitant about doing the show at first, but one night when driving home in a thunderstorm, she was contemplating whether she was up to the task when she saw a double rainbow.

“That sealed it for me,” she said. “I fell in love with theater because of this show.”

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and can be purchased at the door.