In the Woodlands, the ever-growing popularity of Class Act Productions brought a sellout crowd to the Nancy Bock Center for the Performing Arts to attend Sunday’s final performance of the blockbuster production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Company founder/producer/director, Keith Brumfield, operates on such a grand scale (this cast included over 160 area youngsters) it continues to amaze me, even as I am in my second decade of reviewing his outstanding musical productions. Tens of thousands of dollars go into each effort, and it shows in the set design/technical direction of Jonathan Shelledy, the dazzling lighting designs of Lauren Gallup, eye-popping special effects and pyrotechnics of Phoenix Design Group’s Michael Svatek, airborne flying effects coordinated by Dan Kondas of ZFX Flying, stunning choreography from Tony Smith, scenic artistry from Joan Rothhammer, and the superb musical direction from Rae Moses & orchestra. (The cast’s wonderful singing throughout even included several songs and introductions dropped from the familiar MGM film). As for the gorgeous, endlessly colorful, and very Broadway-worthy costumes, designer Caroline Zirilli should probably have her name listed above the title for her outstanding work.

But of course it is the talented young performers of all ages that make a Class Act performance so special. Leading this cast was vocally gifted Whitney Brandt in the familiar role of Dorothy Gale, who finds herself suddenly transported (here by a very convincing onstage tornado) from the family farm in Kansas to the magical Land of Oz that was created so many years ago by the story’s author, L. Frank Baum. All the usual characters were on hand, including Auntie Em (Cecily Breaux, who also sweetly played the good witch, Glinda), Uncle Henry (Joe Dougherty who doubles as Emerald City’s guard), and the three farm hands that become Dorothy’s Oz companions, the Scarecrow (Josiah Miller), the Tinman (Keith Hale), and the Cowardly Lion (Travis Meador). The latter three are an especially fine trio, and perfectly capture the fun of those amusing characters. In the dual role of Almira Gultch & Wicked Witch, Abby Moss is spooky enough to haunt any house. She has some help from Heather Garsen as the Witch Flying Double in airborne sequences. George Downham cheerfully plays both Professor Marvel and the Wizard, while adorable Coco Whitaker plays Dorothy’s dog, Toto.

The Technicolor splendor of Dorothy’s arrival in Munchkinland was a memorable scene with the aerial decent of lovely Glinda, and some of the youngest members of the cast adding to the charm, including the Mayor, the Coroner, the dancing Lullaby League, the Lollipop Guild and many others. In addition to the countless citizens of Oz and Munchkinland, numerous others pepper this huge cast with Crows, Apple Trees, Snowflake Dancers, Winkies, a Girls Chorus, Jitterbug Dancers and Flying Monkeys that really do fly. Class Act is soaring in more ways than one!