"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," Paliku Theatre's children's theater production this year, needs no introduction - except to remind audiences that it's NOT the movie.

It's likely that almost everyone in the audience has seen the 1939 Judy Garland film and knows the words to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." But only a few may have read the original book on which it is based.

Thus, the production of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" will look familiar, but different. Dorothy's slippers are silver, not ruby, and the songs are missing.

Those who need to will probably sing to themselves as Dorothy and friends travel the yellow brick road - but rest assured that this show, while abbreviated to one hour, does not disappoint.

That's because the stage adaptation by V. Glasgow Koste - like the movie - holds tight inside the original story line, and director Stan Egi delivers most of the expected images and characterizations.

A miniature model house atop a pole spins up through a cyclone of lights and sound, and the yellow brick road is a large flag that leads the way to the Emerald City.

Oz is represented by a pair of giant columns and a gate that flies in and out. A large rolling platform fills in for other locales, and colorful lighting takes care of the rest of the scenery needs.

There's no balloon ride back to Kansas. The narrator (Tom Holowach in the persona of author L. Frank Baum) casually glosses over that scene, "Well, you know what comes next," but we really don't feel its loss.

There are other satisfactions to focus on.

Tori Langley plays a capable Dorothy, complete with blue dress, pigtails, and faithful companion Toto (Kelila Lichota in a dog suit).

Isaac Ligsay is a delightfully floppy and seemingly brainless Scarecrow and Travis Schnell is an appropriately metallic Tin Woodman. Keith Merriam has the right roar for the Cowardly Lion.

Kathleen Thompson and Robin Nolan are the Good Witches in elaborate gowns and wigs by costumer Katherine Greenway. Karen Bauder convincingly melts away as the Wicked Witch of the West.

Jonathan Oshiro gets in some effective and broad physical comedy as the Guardian At the Gates.

Children play the roles of Munchkins - a line of girls in elaborate gowns that turn them into miniature prom queens - and the Winkies - the winged and downtrodden vassals of the Wicked Witch.

The Paliku production offers a lot to look at. It might even provoke an audience to open up Baum's original 1900 novel for a closer look.