The Scarecrow, an original and very different take on the lore of The Wizard of Oz, is the next show in the El Paso Community Foundation Jewel Box Series at the Philanthropy Theatre.

The KESSTO Kreatures production, which features music and puppetry, is set for 2:30 pm Sunday, April 14 in the Philanthropy Theatre in the Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Centre.

General admission tickets are $15 at the Plaza Theatre Box Office, and $15 plus service charges at Ticketmaster.

The Scarecrow was written by puppeteer, playwright, performing artist and Jim Henson Foundation grant recipient Anthony Michael Stokes, who is the theater director at Jefferson/Silva High School, a resident director with Kids-N-Co. and founder of KESSTO Kreatures. A former Puppet Showplace Theatre Creative Residency artist and is a proud recipient of a 2023 Production Grant, a 2022 Workshop Grant, and the 2023 O’Neill Residency from The Jim Henson Foundation for his work, The Scarecrow. He has also trained with the Jim Henson Company and the Sesame Street Puppeteer Workshop

The play follows His Majesty the Scarecrow’s journey down the Yellow Brick Road to rediscover the life he led before he became a scarecrow — and the lynching that ended it. Through its innovative use of puppetry, powerful storytelling, and culturally relevant music, The Scarecrow aims to captivate audiences, provoke thought, and inspire change by exploring the connections between Oz and the United States of the early 1900s.

“What fuels me is finding a clear perspective and cause to tell a story that will inspire, educate, and allow for self-reflection,” Stokes said. “I love to package a story in such a way that you are thoroughly entertained and, when you least expect it, you are hit with a deep moment that can change your entire perspective.”

In its eighth season, the El Paso Community Foundation Jewel Box Series was created in partnership with El Paso Live in 2014 to host local performing artists and groups in that jewel box of a venue, the Philanthropy Theatre in the Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Centre.

The last show of the 2023-2024 season is Arabica, featuring music by Doug Adamz and Light Rain and belly dance by Leilania Marcus and Sisters of the Moon. It’s at 2:30 pm Sunday, May 12. Tickets are $15 at the box office and Ticketmaster.com.