Why has the story of "The Wizard of Oz" stood the test of time?
The story of "The Wizard of Oz " is 125 years old, yet still reinventing itself in all kinds of forms.
A musical twist on the tale opened at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Minneapolis Tuesday night. "The Wiz" runs all week, and the "Wicked" sequel is still in movie theaters.
At Lagoon Theatre in Uptown Minneapolis, Jessica Christenson is bracing herself for a viewing of "Wicked." It's a story she's been connected to for a long time.
"It takes you out of your everyday life. It gives you a little relief and a break from the day-to-day monotony of how everything is in the world," Christenson said.
Jack Zipes, a retired University of Minnesota professor, actually wrote the introductions to the newer editions of the Wizard of Oz book by L. Frank Baum, originally published in 1900.
"I was overwhelmed by his great imagination, his commitment to utopia," Zipes said. "I've been intrigued by the type of compassion he has for humanity."
So what is it about the story of Oz that keeps pulling us back in?
"The story of Oz exposes, to a certain extent, what is lacking in America and most countries in the world: to share things instead of compete, " Zipes said.
He also points out the unique depiction of good and evil.
"They all have weaknesses and they are very kind to one another. They share their ideas. They help one another. They are not violent. They actually help poor people wherever they go," Zipes said. "The two nasty witches are done away with by themselves. They're not killed. They blow themselves up. In other words, evil does itself in."
Zipes says it's also a story of self-discovery, as Dorothy's friends realize their weaknesses, they show each other their strengths.
"People have to live in a compassionate way with one another, and that's what Baum was all about," Zipes said. "It's the opposite of the way we live and I think it gives us hope."
Zipes is a specialist in children's literature. Just last week, he published "Never-ending Tales: Stories from the Golden Age of Jewish Literature."