The Lizard of Oz (playscript) by Richard Seltzer

When an elementary class sets out on a quest to save the world form disenchantment, their adventures reveal paradoxes of the human mind and ways of awakening the magic within us.

Children's play (intended for elementary school) based on the underground fantasy classic.

Stapled typescript, 64 pages

Plays for Children and Young Adults, an Evaluative Index and Guide, Supplement 1, 1989-1994 by Raschelle S. Karp, June H. Schlessinger, and Bernard S. Schlessinger, Garland Publishing, New York, 1996 "1101. K-12 (+) Seltzer, Richard, The Lizard of Oz. CAST: 6f, 14m, u. ACTS: 1. Settings: Bare stage. Playing Time: 50 min. Plot: Two fish, in a fishbowl in a basement classroom, remark on the boredom of the students. One of the fish, Mr. Shermin, explains to the other, Mrs. O'Rourke, that the boredom is caused by the Humbug's tune, which can only be changed by the Lizard of Oz. One of the children Eugene, overhears the conversation and conspires with the fish to travel to Oz in a little green VW with several classmates. On the way, the car falls into a pothole, and encounters a witch who gives them directions. They meet the potheads, people with pots for heads, who help them with more water for the fishbowl. The witch reappears at various times, and the group meets Sir Real, who has a cereal bowl for a head; eggheads, including Humpty Dumpty; a wallflower; an empty-headed pothead with blue eyes (Mr. New Man); Mr. Francis Bacon, the librarian; Mr. Charon, the ferryboatman/undertaker; Lewis Carroll; William Shakespeare; Mark Twain; and Plato and the Muses. Mrs. O'Rourke swims off and Mr. Shermin becomes a human teacher. The gang reaches Oz and a bevy of further odd characters and returns to the classroom, refreshed, and with a new teacher, Mr. Shermin. Recommendation: The adventures and the characters are out of Alice in Wonderland, but the overall effect is comic and interesting."

Comments about the book on which the play is based:

Library Journal "An intriguing and very entertaining little novel"

Aspect "Carroll and Tolkien have a new companion"

Lancaster (PA) Independent Press "a work so saturated that the mind is both stoned with pleasure and alive with wonder" (Lancaster (PA) Independent Press)

Philadelphia Bulletin "A commentary on our times done delightfully"