Students in Marian Catholic High School’s Performing Arts Program will set out on the yellow brick road Friday and Saturday as they present “The Wizard of Oz.”

The show begins at 7 p.m. both nights at the 166 Marian Ave., Tamaqua school, and features 17 Marian Catholic High School students bringing to life the much-loved story.

The performance, based on L. Frank Baum’s classic novel, features many cherished songs and moments from the 1939 classic film adaptation.

The play’s director, Carrie Fox, said the students will be joined by 20 children from St. Jerome Regional School in Hometown.

“I wanted to get the younger kids involved just because we’re trying to build the arts program here at Marian,” Fox said. “I thought it would be a nice outreach to see if St. Jerome’s kids wanted to get involved.”

It’s a first time youngsters from the school have been involved in a Marian production. They’ll be portraying munchkins and flying monkeys, Fox said.

The high school students have been very involved with the production, from designing the set to designing the programs.

“I kind of wanted it that way - just because if you are going to learn things in the arts, you have to be hands-on,” Fox explained.

Fox sewed some of the costumes, and so too did Martina Digris, grandmother of Kerrigan Digris, who stars as “Dorothy.” Local theaters in Hazleton and Lehighton also lent a hand by loaning some items to the school.