First of all, our schedule is now online! You can download and view a handsome PDF designed by David Maxine, or just read the text below.
Our slate of featured folks at the convention grew with the addition of Kevin Wood of New Vision Music, who will be playing a set during our Friday afternoon reception. Also, Robert Welch, the grandson of MGM's special effects wizard A. Arnold "Buddy" Gillespie" will have a table in the dealer's room, which will feature a photo op with a real Oscar statuette.
Make sure you're registered at the OzCon website and hurry and get your hotel room booked!
If you are arriving at Ontario airport and staying at Kellogg West, if you give the hotel 48 hours notice, they will be able to pick you up in a shuttle free of charge! Call 800-593-7876 to arrange the shuttle.
OzCon 2018
August 10th- 12th
(Schedule is subject to possible changes)
Friday, August 10th
10:00 AM
Registration Opens—Baum’s Bazaar
Meet and reunite with fellow Oz fans through introductory games and activities.
10:45 AM
Welcome from the OzCon organizers—Emerald City Room
11:00 AM
Baum’s Bazaar—The Dealers Room opens for business. Add to your collection of Oz books and artifacts.
Oz Animation OdditieZ—Emerald City Room
Pop-culture historian Andy Mangels shares a selection of the quirkiest visits to Oz in cartoons, from The Super Friends to Futurama, Rugrats to The Simpsons, Scooby-Doo to Family Guy, Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse to Robot Chicken, and many more hidden gems!
Encountering The Tin Woodman of Oz—Tin Castle Room
Author J. L. Bell explores the themes of L. Frank Baum’s twelfth Oz novel, which forces Nick Chopper to confront himself over and over.
12:00 noon
Lunch Break—Dining Rooms
Join us in the dining rooms for a catered meal.
Advance registration required. If you aren’t able to join us, refer to the dining options flyer on the registration desk or in your tote bag.
1:00 PM
Gay Fans of Oz: The Open Secret—Emerald City Room
Dee Michel, author of the new book Friends of Dorothy, discusses the Oz books’ particular attraction for gay boys and men. What does that phenomenon say about Oz and about American society?
2:00 PM
Strong Women of Oz—Emerald City Room
L. Frank Baum is known for creating strong female characters, from Dorothy, Glinda, and Ozma down to unnamed farmwives. Judy Bieber explores this side of the series.
David Montgomery: The First Man to Play Nick Chopper—Tin Castle Room
Portraying the Tin Woodman on Broadway made this comedian a star, but Montgomery died young, leaving no work in the movies or radio like his partner, Fred Stone. David Maxine, compiler of the Grammy-nominated Vintage Recordings from the 1903 Broadway Musical “The Wizard of Oz,” shares what we know about David Montgomery.
3:00 PM
The Woodsman—Emerald City Room
Watch the acclaimed off -Broadway adaptation of the Tin Woodman’s story on video, not yet commercially available. Afterwards, discuss the show with playwright-director James Ortiz.
(This session runs until 5:00.)
What’s Ahead for The Baum Bugle—Tin Castle Room
New editor Sarah Crotzer talks about her plans and hopes for the Oz Club’s flagship magazine of scholarship, criticism, and news. Bring your questions and ideas.
Signing in the Dealers Room—Baum’s Bazaar
Dee Michel, author of Friends of Dorothy
4:00 PM
Finding The Lost Tales of Oz—Tin Castle Room
Author Gina Wickwar moderates a panel of contributors to this collection of new Oz short stories. What’s the state of Oz fanfi ction in our digital world? With more Thompson books starting to enter the public domain, what new opportunities lie ahead?
5:00 PM
Signing in the Dealers Room—Baum’s Bazaar
Paul Dana and other contributors to The Lost Tales of Oz
Opening Reception for All OzCon Attendees—Ozma’s Courtyard
So join us for delightful glass of refreshment or purchase something Ozzier at the bar. Kevin Wood of New Vision Music will be performing a set, including his original song “The Tinman.”
6:00 PM
Dinner Break—Dining Rooms
Join us in the dining rooms for a catered meal.
Advance registration required. If you aren’t able to join us, refer to the dining options flyer on the registration desk or in your tote bag.
Friday Evening Program
Emerald City Room
7:30 PM
Opening Remarks
7:45 PM
Journey Back to Oz: Filmation’s Animated Oz Feature
Andy Mangels, coauthor of Creating the Filmation Generation and producer of the Journey Back to Oz DVD release, discusses the fi rst ever animated Oz feature film. Find out how this project evolved in its decade of development and creation, and how the all-star cast—including Liza Minnelli and Margaret Hamilton—were brought on board. Learn behind-the-scenes secrets of one of the most famous Oz fi lms ever created!
8:30 PM
100 Years Full Circle: L. Frank Baum, Todrick Hall, and an Emotionally Intelligent Tin Woodman
Dina Schiff Massachi briefly shows the commonalities between L. Frank Baum’s Tin Woodman depiction and Todrick Hall’s, with a focus on how male emotional intelligence and stereotypes play into both.
8:45 PM
Robert Payes: Son of a Royal Historian
Robert Payes is interviewed by Eric Shanower and David Maxine about his mother Rachel Cosgrove and her Oz writings.
9:15 PM
Break
9:30 PM
Puppetry: The CGI of the Stage
The Woodsman’s James Ortiz explains how he uses puppetry to bring fantastic characters and creatures to life before the eyes of a live audience.
10:00 PM
The Tin Woodman of Oz: Ku-Klip’s Workshop
A hilarious reader’s theater adaptation of an episode from the Baum book we’re celebrating.
Narrator: Dina Schiff Massachi
The Tin Woodman: Anil Tambwekar
Polychrome/Scarecrow: Erica Olivera
Nick Chopper/Captain Fyter: Colin Ayres
Woot: Nathan DeHoff
Ku-Klip: Paul Dana
10:30 PM
Closing Statements
Join us for a drink at the OzCon after-party (complete with cash bar).
Saturday, August 11th
8:30 AM
Registration Opens—Baum’s Bazaar
9:00 AM
Welcome to all from the OzCon organizers—Emerald City Room
Baum’s Bazaar—The Dealers Room opens for business. Discover Oz books new and old. Add to your collection of ornaments and artifacts. Have your photo taken with a real Oscar statuette.
9:30 AM
Costume Contest—Emerald City Room
Admire and applaud this year’s Ozzy outfits and vote for your favorites. Prizes awarded to the best children’s, adult, and group costumes.
10:30 AM
Assembling the Tin Man—Tin Castle Room
Aljean Harmetz, author of The Making of “The Wizard of Oz,” looks back on MGM’s twisting path to casting the Tin Man, and how Jack Haley made the part his own.
Collectors’ Show and Tell—Yookoohoo Lounge
Freddy Fogarty hosts a gathering of Oz collectors sharing their unusual fi nds and favorites. Bring your discoveries and questions.
Quiz Time!—Baum’s Bazaar
Test your knowledge of Ozzy trivia by taking one of the annual quizzes. There are separate quizzes, and prizes, for novices, fans of the movie, and trivia masters.
11:30 AM
Auction Preview—Emerald City Room
Check out all the Oz artifacts and collectibles to be sold this afternoon. Sign up for a bidder’s number and start participating in the silent auction.
Digging into Rachel Cosgrove Payes’s Work—Baum’s Bazaar
Enjoy an in-depth conversation about the author of The Hidden Valley of Oz and many other books in different genres between her son Robert Payes and expert collectors David Maxine and Eric Shanower.
12:30 PM
Lunch Break—Dining Rooms
Join us in the dining rooms for a catered meal.
Advance registration required. If you aren’t able to join us, refer to the dining options flyer on the registration desk or in your tote bag.
1:30 PM
OzCon Auction—Emerald City Room
Join in the bidding for Oz collectibles of all kinds! Conventions are a great place to find bargains and never-before-seen items to round out your collection. Proceeds benefit the International Wizard of Oz Club. (The auction will last until 4:30.)
Heart over Head: Evolving Views on Male Emotional Intelligence and the Tin Woodman—Tin Castle Room
Dina Schiff Massachi provides an overview of how male emotional intelligence, and acceptance or rejection of stereotypes, play into the character of the Tin Woodman by looking at the character as he’s changed over time.
Signing in the Dealers’ Room—Baum’s Bazaar
Barry Bregman, compiler of Heart of the Tin Man, and Christianna Rickard, author of A Legend in Straw.
2:30 PM
MGM’s Special Effects Magic—Tin Castle Room
Robert A. Welch, co-editor of The Wizard of MGM, reveals how his grandfather A. Arnold “Buddy” Gillespie and his special-effects department brought all the magic of Oz to movie screens in 1939.
Signing in the Dealers’ Room—Baum’s Bazaar
Eric Shanower, Eisner-winning comics creator, illustrator, and author; and singer-songwriter Kevin Wood of New Vision Music.
3:30 PM
Memories of Jack Haley—Tin Castle Room
Barry Bregman talks about growing up with his grandfather, the vaudeville and Hollywood trouper who was best known as the Tin Man in the MGM movie, and compiling Heart of the Tin Man: The Collected Writings of Jack Haley.
Signing in the Dealers Room—Baum’s Bazaar
Aljean Harmetz, author of The Making of “The Wizard of Oz”
4:30 PM
Shaping the Tin Woodman—Emerald City Room
Even John R. Neill couldn’t decide on one shape for the Tin Woodman’s head. Artist and collector Eric Shanower explores how illustrators across the decades and around the world have drawn the tin man.
Lessons from Ray Bolger—Tin Castle Room
Christianna Rickard, author of A Legend in Straw: The Spirit of My Uncle Ray Bolger, shares stories about how the famous dancer provided the world with an example of harmony and compassion.
Baum’s Bazaar
Last hour to shop in the Dealers Room!
Auction Settlement—Yookoohoo Lounge
Pay for the items you bought in the Oz Club auction.
6:00 PM
OzCon Saturday Royal Banquet—Emerald Hillside Terrace
Join us on the fabulous shaded Emerald Hillside Terrace for a served meal. It is OzCon tradition that we try to dress up a bit for the Saturday evening dinner. During the meal, the winners of the Treasure Hunt, the Quizzes and the costume contest will be announced as well as the winners of the Winkie Award, the Oz Club Research Table, and the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.
Advance registration required. If you aren’t able to join us, refer to the dining options fl yer on
the registration desk or in your tote bag.
Saturday Evening Program
Emerald City Room
7:30 PM
Putting the Fun in Fundraising
In which we enrich the OzCon Programming Fund.
7:45 PM
It’s the Baum!
The return of the OzCon game show sensation! Team Chopper and Team Fyter clash as players help their teammates guess Oz-related celebrity names.
8:15 PM
Dear Sarah, Dear Nick: The Long-Distance Friendship of Oz
A long time ago, a ten-year-old in England wrote to a girl in Tennessee, c/o the Oz Pen Pal Association. Twenty-five years later, this unusual friendship is still going strong, based on a shared love of Oz books and other stories—and a nice knock-down argument or two! Since January 2016, these online pals have been reading and discussing the Oz books on their blog, Burzee, to a warm response. They will talk about how a long-distance friendship can endure across the miles and inspire new creative projects in the 21st century.
8:45 PM
A Stroll Through Baum’s Hollywood
Hollywood historian Bill Graff turns back the clock and reveals the Hollywood that L. Frank Baum knew.
9:00 PM
Break
9:15 PM
OzCon 2019
Plans are already underway for the next convention! Meet next year’s Chairman and Vice Chair and listen to some of the early plans.
9:30 PM
MGM’s The Wizard of Oz: Fondly Remembered
Journalist and historian Aljean Harmetz, Barry Bregman (grandson of Jack Haley), Christianna Rickard (niece of Ray Bolger), and Robert A. Welch (grandson of MGM’s Oscar-winning special-effects wizard) engage in a panel discussing the classic film and their personal ties to it.
10:15 PM
MGM’s The Wizard of Oz: A Tribute
Chairman Jay Davis presents a new fan-made music video celebrating the film, closing the program for the evening.
Join us afterward for a drink and Ozzy fellowship at the after-party (complete with a cash bar).
Sunday, August 12th
10:00 AM
Journey Back to Oz—Emerald City Room
Animation historian and DVD producer Andy Mangels provides a special introduction to the 1972 animated movie that featured the voices of Liza Minnelli, Margaret Hamilton, Ethel Merman, Paul Lynde, and other stars. This Filmation cartoon was the fi rst follow-up to the beloved MGM movie—how well did it do? Stay after for a brief Q&A with Mangels about the making of the film and its legacy. (This session runs until noon.)
Marriages in Oz—Tin Castle Room
From the Swynes to the Yoops, The Tin Woodman of Oz portrays couples of many kinds. Baum biographer Angelica Carpenter leads a panel discussion of how the Oz books treat the institution of marriage.
11:00 AM
Contradictions in Oz—Tin Castle Room
Oz novelist and researcher Robin Hess presents a theory about the consistency of Baum’s Oz books certain to stimulate the brains and hearts of Oz fans.
12:00 noon
Lunch Break—Dining Rooms
Join us in the dining rooms for a catered meal.
Advance registration required. If you aren’t able to join us, refer to the dining options flyer on the registration desk or in your tote bag.
1:00 PM
Upcoming Oz Projects—Emerald City Room
A new biography of Matilda Joslyn Gage—Spanish editions of Baum’s books with new Shanower cover art—even a movie of a certain Broadway musical? Freddy Fogarty welcomes guests with news about these projects and more to look for.
Continuity and Consistency in Oz—Tin Castle Room
A panel of Oz fans and scholars responds to the thoughts that Robin Hess shared in his “Contradictions in Oz” presentation. Join in this discussion moderated by Anil Tambwekar about what makes the Oz books real to you.
2:00 PM
Preview and Farewell—Emerald City Room
Hear about plans for OzCon 2019, get involved, and say goodbye to old and new Ozzy friends.
