Tonight at 8 o’clock, The Last Oz Story premieres in Rio Grande, Ohio. That’s about 560 miles off-off-off-Broadway, but it doesn’t matter. Not everybody gets to see a show they wrote actually produced on stage, so I will be quite happy when it happens.

Last night, I watched the animated film, Persepolis, and was struck by something Marjane Satrapi had to say in one of the special features that are included on the DVD. She said it was no longer her story, even though it is obviously autobiographical. She was referring to the fact that making the film was such a collaborative effort.

The Last Oz Story was my idea, but it has been shaped by those I have interacted with during the course of writing it and getting it produced. Obviously, Scott Michal, the composer, has been a major influence. But I have also listened very carefully to others who have read it. And I will continue to listen tonight and tomorrow to how those who see it for the first time react. I will then revise the script one more time before submitting it to other theatre groups and possible publishers. That doesn’t mean I will necessarily agree with every suggestion or criticism, but I always consider them.

So thanks in advance to all of my collaborators, even those I have yet to meet.

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