Three of the original actors who played Munchkins in MGM’s 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” will be appearing at the kick-off event for the 2009 Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival on Friday evening, September 18.

The Red Carpet Premiere will begin at 6 p.m. when more than a dozen celebrities will walk the red carpet with the Munchkins at Duneland Falls Banquet Center, 1100 N. SR 149 in Chesterton. Designed especially for adults and those in their late teens, the evening will include a gourmet dinner, silent auction, special guest star Master of Ceremonies, celebrity personal appearances, the unveiling of two limited edition Oz themed works of art and performances by two outstanding vocalists.

“This will be an exciting Oz Fest kick-off,” says Machelle Blount, broker/owner of Northwest Indiana Realty and president of Duneland Business Initiative Group, producers of the Wizard of Oz Festival, “After we began planning it, we saw how star studded it was going to be and we knew we had to call it the Red Carpet Premiere!”

Raymond Brickner, proprietor of The Flower Cart, a full service florist and gift shop serving the Duneland area for decades, is chairperson for the special event. The Flower Cart is celebrating its recent tripling in size, addition of a Wizard of Oz gift and collectible department and move to a custom built store in downtown Chesterton by co-sponsoring the Red Carpet Premiere with Duneland Falls Banquet Center.

The evening will begin with a reception and the opening of the silent auction featuring scores of items from Duneland area businesses. The reception will also feature the display of “Judy Garland: The Dressing of a Legend,” an exhibit sponsored by downtown Chesterton’s Indian Summer Boutique. The exhibit features a collection of gowns and costumes worn by Garland from the 1930s to the 1960s (the exhibit will be available for viewing throughout the evening). Background music will be provided by Anthony Whitaker.

After the reception, Emmy Award winning Master of Ceremonies John Fricke will narrate the Red Carpet Grand Entrance of actors Jerry Maren, (one of the Lollipop Guild kids), Karl Slover (the first trumpet player to herald Dorothy into Munchkinland) and Margaret Pellegrini (who danced and sang in the Munchkinland scene wearing a flowerpot on her head as a hat). Munchkins by Marriage Mary Ellen St. Aubin (widow of Parnell St. Aubin, a Munchkin Soldier) and Myrna Swensen (widow of Clarence Swensen, also a Soldier) will follow. Actress Elizabeth Maren, Jerry’s wife, will accompany the Lollipop Kid! Also making a grand entrance will be Caren Marsh Doll, Judy Garland’s stand-in for the film, the L. Frank Baum great-grandsons, author Roger Baum (and his wife Charlene) and re-enactor Robert Baum (and his wife Clare). Other celebrities include Garland costume curator Michael Siewert as well as artists Michael Roche and Tim Wolak and poster artist Rick Ewigleben. Rounding out the celebrities will be Honorary Mayor of Munchkinland former State Representative Ralph Ayres, singer Jim Bulanda, musician Anthony Whitaker and 2009 Miss Indiana Nicole Pollard.

Following the Red Carpet Grand Entrance, a prime rib buffet will be served. Bidding for the silent auction will continue. Dinner will be followed by Miss Indiana singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and assisting renowned poster artist Rick Ewigleben in unveiling the seventh poster in his limited edition Oz tribute posters. The series was begun in 2003 and each is created in the poster-art style of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Each poster has been unveiled exclusively in Chesterton during the Oz Festival. Ewigleben will also unveil a new concept he’s developed--a 100 percent cotton made-in-America throw based on his poster series. Exclusively for Red Carpet Premiere attendees, he and Miss Indiana will unveil the first throw in the series, “A Dandy Lion.”

Master of Ceremonies Fricke will then introduce each of the Munchkins and lead them in discussing their experiences in the making of “The Wizard of Oz.” Fricke will also introduce Caren Marsh Doll and the other celebrities and conduct a Question & Answer session with the audience. At the conclusion of the Q&A session, the silent auction will also close and the names of the successful bidders will be announced.

Singer Jim Bulanda will take the stage to present a program of singing and dancing favorites. He began singing when he was seven to entertain his large Italian family. As he grew older, his beautiful, velvety smooth voice was noticed and he was often asked to sing at weddings. In the early 1990's, Jim ventured into show business. He sang and dabbled in comedy at Chicago's comedy clubs. Patrons marveled at his remarkable singing voice and encouraged him to develop it.

He polished Sinatra classic songs and developed a nightclub act that includes a repertoire of more than 70 classic Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Neil Diamond and Tony Martin songs. Jim has performed in numerous nightclubs in Chicago and Northwest Indiana including Chicago's East Bank Club, The Merchandise Mart, Salvatore's and Chicago's famous Omni Ambassador East and The Pump Room. He’s also headlined at Glenwood Oaks, Angelino’s in Mokena, Ill., Gino’s in Merrillville, The Blue Chip Casino, Trio Trattoria’s and Theo’s.

Jim has also entertained in Las Vegas and Phoenix and has been featured at the American Heart Association's "Taste of Northwest Indiana," Merrillville's Town Ball, USA Fest in Crete, Ill., the Annual "Main Streets Night" in Park Forest, Ill. and the Star Plaza Theatre with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. Besides Sinatra and those wonderful ballads, Jim counts “The Wizard of Oz” and the film’s music as among his favorites.

Duneland Falls Banquet Center is located on SR 149 on the far west side of Chesterton south of U.S. Highway 20. Tickets the Premiere are $40 per person including dinner and parking. Reduced rates are available for tables of eight. Tickets may be purchased at the downtown Wizard of Oz office, 211 Broadway, Chesterton, IN 46304 or by calling 926-9900. For more information on the Red Carpet Premiere or details on other events planned for the 28th Wizard of Oz Festival, visit the festival’s website at www.ozfestivalchesterton.com

Posted 9/16/2009