One of Amherst’s newest and most magical pre-Halloween traditions returns on October 24 at the Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall with Wicked: The Sing-Along Film Screening and cOZplay Event. This year’s Fine Arts Center celebration invites audiences to step into the Emerald City for an interactive night of music, costumes, and community fun.
The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with cOZplay, a free pre-show party for ticket holders. The Bromery Center lobby, and if the weather allows, the outdoor plaza, will transform into a lively Oz-themed scene filled with treats, games, music, and prizes. Guests are encouraged to come in costume as their favorite Wicked character or any creative take on Oz. Hosting the celebration is Monte Belmonte, host and executive producer of New England Public Media’s The Fabulous 413 and a Wicked enthusiast.
At showtime, the crowd will move into the theater for the sing-along version of the 2024 film Wicked. UMass student vocal groups will lead the audience through the songs, making sure every Glinda, Elphaba, and Munchkin in attendance can sing along. Expect big voices, big laughs, and plenty of sparkle.
Now in its third year, the Fine Arts Center’s Halloween mashup has grown from Alice in Wonderland in 2022 to Frankenstein in 2023 and now to Oz in 2024, each year reimagining a beloved world through music and community creativity.
Tickets
• Adults: from $20
• Youth 17 and under and Five College students: from $15
Location: Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall, UMass Amherst
Registration: Required in advance for cOZplay participation. Get tickets here.
Presented by the UMass Fine Arts Center in collaboration with Campus Life and Wellbeing, Jed Campus Team, Residential Life, Student Engagement Leadership, and the University Programming Council.
IMAGE: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in a promotional poster for ‘Wicked.’
