The yellow brick road will lead to Southwest Middle School Friday night and Saturday morning, as Sibley Elementary School students put on two performances of “The Wizard of Oz.”

It’s been an annual tradition for at least a decade now, for Sibley Elementary students in third through sixth grades to put on a play. The last time Sibley students performed this number was seven years ago, long before any of these students were in school.

The Sibley students play almost every role in the production, except for a few lead characters. Erin Rose Sincevich and Kevin McCarty, directors and tour actors with Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre, are playing the roles of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Scarecrow, respectively. Dorothy is being played by high school senior Hanna Johnson.

“It’s fun to see how kids move from the little parts into the bigger parts as they get older, with such composure,” said Sibley Elementary third-grade teacher Lorna Berg. “It’s interesting when they get to high school, because three-fourths of those high school casts got their experience with us.”

All 68 Sibley students in the cast had to try out for their parts, but because this play calls for so many cast members, everyone got a part, even if it wasn’t the one they tried out for.

Third grader Emma Renchin was thrilled to be chosen to play the part of a munchkin.

“They’re funny and cool in the movie,” she said.

This is Renchin’s first performance, and she couldn’t be more excited about her acting debut.

“I told my mom to sign the slip right away, before all of the parts were taken,” she said.

This will also be third-grader Samantha Skarstad’s debut onstage. She got the acting bug from her sister, who has performed in Sibley Elementary plays. Skarstad was also happy with her part as the mayor of Munchkin City.

“It’s just really fun,” she said.

Besides the fun they have, Berg enjoys the lessons her students take from these performances.

“It’s kind of like a sports team, they learn to encourage each other and taking on leadership roles in the group,” Berg said.

The children began preparing for the musical after school on Monday, and worked with Sincevich and McCarty each day after school for four hours.

Throughout the entire year, Prairie Fire sends two professional actors/directors to a community for a one week residency. Local children fill the roles, and the theater company provides everything needed to do the show.

Prairie Fire brought a unique version of “Sleeping Beauty” to Sibley Elementary students last year.

Tickets, please

What: “The Wizard of Oz” performance by Sibley Elementary School students
When: today at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m.; doors open half-hour before the curtain opens
Where: The little theater at Southwest Middle School
Admission: $4 per adult ticket and $2 per children’s ticket