The students at Chapel Hill High School are taking one of America's best-known and most loved fairy tales and making it their own. For their spring musical, CHHS theater students are asking the community to join them for a walk down the yellow brick road in their performance of "The Wizard of Oz."

"The students like the play because it doesn't take itself too seriously," said theater director Thomas Drago. "They are able to make their characters big and fun."

L. Frank Baum's 1900 book - titled "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and followed by 13 sequels - has been adapted for stage and screen many times over, most notably, of course, in the 1939 film that made Judy Garland a star and brought Technicolor to America.

For Chapel Hill High's adaptation, Drago is turning to the original children's book more than the film version, which -- with its sinister-looking twister, Wicked Witch and flying monkeys -- is pretty scary fare for young kids.

"We are playing it up as a children's show," Drago said. "We are trying to keep it very children friendly."

Sean Grier, the CHHS choral teacher, and Andrew Carter, the band director, assist the students with the musical aspects of the performance. Grier said it's important to offer a musical that the entire community can enjoy.

"The movie is a little bit darker than we are making the musical," Grier said. "There is a definitely a lighter tone. We are trying to make it so children aren't running out the auditorium screaming and crying,"

More than 100 students are taking part in the production - a cast of 45, plus orchestra musicians and stagehands.

Lizzie McManus, a senior, plays several characters, including the Wicked Witch of the West. McManus and other students have been busy preparing for the musical since the middle of February.

"It has been a really exciting, daunting and thrilling task," McManus said. "Our lives kind of revolve around this show. It is kind of all we talk about and think about, and live, breathe and eat."

McManus said the school's production has taken the familiar pop culture classic and added a new spin.

"The ruby slippers, the yellow brick road and Toto are all there, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves to keep things fresh and relevant."

Allison Press, a junior, will portray both Auntie Em and Glinda the Good Witch, characters she has known since early childhood.

"I personally have very strong nostalgia and memories growing up with the show," she said.

While Press is excited about the chance to play such iconic characters, for the young actress it is all about the opportunity to perform in front of an audience.

"I really like entertaining people," she said. "I like making people happy. I like making people laugh. That is what this show is for."

The CHHS theater department lost a lot of seniors to graduation last year. This year, freshman and sophomores are filling their shoes.

Grier focuses on the upside of working with a less experienced group of student actors.

"It is cool because it has provided a lot of opportunities for underclassmen to step into a role they have never played before," Grier said. "It is really huge to be up there performing live theater. It is an adrenaline rush, especially for those who haven't experienced it before."

Although the students are relatively young, Drago says much of the production is managed by the students.

"They run every aspect of the show, for the most part," Drago said. "This is educational theater. This is the best possible learning experience the students can have, actually doing the show themselves."

For Drago, who has been directing high school plays for 20 years, "The Wizard of Oz" has a special place in his theater background.

"The very first play I ever did, over 30 years ago, was 'The Wizard of Oz' and I was the Wizard," Drago said. "I was in the fourth grade in Brooklyn, New York, and I have been doing theater ever since."

During a rehearsal days before the curtain call, the excitement among the students was palpable.

"They have really worked hard for two and a half months now," Grier said. "I am really excited for the moment they see it all come together."