As the crowds – and awards – continue to line up for Wicked, audiences are walking different paths along the well-traveled yellow brick road. But those who seek a different perspective on the land of Oz should walk right past the crowds eagerly anticipating Wicked.

Whereas Wicked provides interesting background to the original feel-good The Wizard of Oz, director Philip Klapperich shatters the rosy premise of Dorothy’s romp through Oz with The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz.

Klapperich twists and turns L. Frank Baum’s classic tale to such a degree that Oz enthusiasts hardly recognize the characters they are seeing. Gone are the ebullient and lovable bunch; enter a Dorothy, a Lion, a Tinman and a Scarecrow who dwell in their misery and doubt the morality of their actions.

Produced by The House Theatre of Chicago, Terrible Oz fuses music, dance and magic with traditional theater to expose the darker side of the land of Oz. And in this Oz, there is no rainbow and Dorothy does not click her heels to get home.

The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz, above all, attempts to show the audience that life is not always a happy journey. Marching continually forward, we compete for scarce resources to further our goals. The play reminds us that the road to happiness is not always a pleasant one and obtaining one’s desires doesn’t necessarily end with bliss.

The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz is playing at the Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western Ave., through Nov. 5. Tickets are $10 to $19. Tickets and showtimes are available by calling (773) 251-2195.

– Michael Burgner