Last night, during a so-called ‘unprecedented time of peace’, I attended the wedding of the Scarecrow King and Special Officer Phoebe Daring. With Dorothy back by his side, all of us was excited for this most holy of unions, and this was one royal wedding that no one wanted to miss. However, all was not well, as different factions gathered to see who would make a move…

For the past year, The Speakeasy Society has been putting on their fantastic series of The Kansas Collection, a semi-sequel to the Wizard of Oz, loosely based on the books by L. Frank Baum. Over the course of the first four chapters, audience members have learned the saga of how the land of Oz fell into disarray after Dorothy left, and people have been searching for her.

Along the way, we have joined up with different factions. Some have remained loyal to the Scarecrow King, as members of his armed militia. Others are part of REVOLT, following Glenda, the not-so-good-anymore witch. Or maybe, just like me, you’re a secret member of the Patchwork Resistance.

No matter whom you are loyal to, or what color you wear to this wedding, your story is uniquely yours. The twists and turns you encounter are filtered through the prism of your faction’s allegiances. Though the major story points remain the same, the effects it has on you and your friends are vastly different.

The latest in this series is Chapter Five: The Vow, where the focal point is the royal wedding ceremony. The Scarecrow King has kindly allowed the festivities to take place in Kansas, not Oz, in order for us loyal recruits to attend. And thus, they are adhering to many of the same wedding customs we have here, such as the signing of the guest book, and the bride-to-be parading around with guests, while the groom is in isolation, brooding.

While the chapters have been mostly linear in the past, this show opens up in an open-world setting. The pre-wedding get together in the garden of the lovely church is a time for you to enjoy the light refreshments…and also get closer to the various characters. While the color you are wearing (in the form of your clothing or the pin they give you pre-show) determines how certain characters interact with you, you are welcome to engage any and all of them in conversation.

This part of the evening really rewards those who seek out conversations, as the more you interact with the characters, the more of the story you receive. Plus, it’s a wedding! So, standing around, catching up with your Oz friends is definitely something you should do. Fortune favors the bold…

Myself, Phil Daring, and Dorothy. Don’t worry, she’s fine, everything is fine…

As a member of Patchwork (Patchwork Forvever!), I was treated to some fun interactions with Tick, Jack, and Phil Daring. Trouble amongst the Patchwork is abound, and some disagree with the actions (and inactions) others are taking. But I also took the time to talk to everyone, such as Oz (less great and powerful, more drunk and belligerent these days), who cheerfully called me a moron for my faction choice, to the blushing bride-to-be, whom I did not trust one bit, and of course, my favorite, the wonderful Cowardly Lion, whose interactions always leave me laughing. Every character we have encountered before in previous chapters was on hand at some point, and it was great to see everyone come together in such a way.

Shortly after, the ceremony itself began, and ooooh boy, did it take a turn that I did not expect! From there, it became more linear again, where you follow your faction’s story through the wedding itself, and beyond. The different factions had different storylines, different tidbits revealed as the evening went on, which lead to everyone excitedly chatting about what they learned after the show.

I have said in the past that Chapter 2: THE AXE was my favorite of this series, but this one definitely took the top spot after last night. THE VOW was an incredibly multi-layered show, one that showcases what fantastic immersive performances should be. From the story, to the actors, to the small tidbits, THE VOW blew me away.

I think one of the biggest strong suits for The Kansas Collection, and The Speakeasy Society overall, are the actors. Every single one of them inhabitants their role so incredibly well, it’s almost like a second skin for them. You certainly can feel the unease and nervousness coming off of Tick, as he is unsure of what to do. Jack’s carefree attitude, and light-hearted approach to everything, is a great play off of that. Oz’s determination to stay out of it all (and stay in a drunken stupor) is one of my favorite things about this series. And how can you NOT love Lyman?! Every single person shines in their role here, no matter if you have a brief interaction with them or a full-on conversation. There is not a bad performance at all here, and that definitely speaks to The Speakeasy Society’s commitment to making these shows believable.

If you think of this series as a television show, this entry serves as the midseason finale; full of surprises, wrapping up certain storylines, but also opening brand new ones. This story is crafted beautifully, and it amazes me how they are able to tie so many storylines together into one, masterful show. I cannot WAIT to see the next chapter, and see where the story goes from here.

While this is the continuing tale of Oz, it is also a perfect jumping on point for new people. Yes, you have to choose a color when you purchase your ticket to show your allegiance. However, there is also a “white” track specifically designed for folks that are new to the story. You will likely be swayed to joining one factor or another over the course of the evening, but the choice is up to you on which way you go. This is a great show for immersive newbies to get their feet wet, and really jump into the world.

The Speakeasy Society continues to amaze with this, and I cannot recommend it enough. Long-time visitors to Oz or new recruits alike, do yourself a favor, and say yes to THE VOW.

The show runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from August 9 – 25, 2018. It is $80 on Thursdays and $100 Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are going fast. Purchase yours today at: http://speakeasysociety.com