This fall you can follow the yellow brick road to the Ingersoll Dinner Theater for a children’s production of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.

The decision to do children’s theater was an easy one for owner and artistic director Charles Carnes.

“We’re always looking for titles kids can recognize and relate to,” Carnes said. “It helps compensate for parents who don’t have time to read to their kids.”

While it shares the same characters, this production of Dorothy is a little different than the movie.

“We’re doing a slightly shorter version, and we open with Dorothy’s arrival in the land of Oz,” Carnes said. “We’re also going to use some audience participation. We’ll be choosing kids from the audience to play the Munchkins and the Wizard.”

Katie Sieb plays Dorothy in this production and is excited to be working with kids.

“I love children’s theater. The kids always respond so well to the characters on stage, and it’s fun to have them be involved in the show,” Sieb said.

Director Ruth Freeman is looking forward to opening afternoon. “These actors are incredibly talented performers,” she said. “The show is very solid. I think the kids will love it.”

Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz will be performed Saturday afternoons from Sept. 14 to Oct. 12. Tickets are $8.95 and can be purchased at the Ingersoll Dinner Theater box office at 3711 Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines. For more information call 515-274-4686.