"Wizard of Oz" kicks off at Riverdale Wednesday | Schools

For months, the stage at Riverdale Elementary has been like a home away from home for students who are part of this year's spring musical.

With more than 100 students making up the cast and crew, "The Wizard of Oz" is the largest musical in school history.

Students have been putting in a ton of time on the show, including five hours every night for the past two weeks to nail their lines and put the final touches on the set.

From the start of auditions and production in the winter, students have had a hand in every aspect of the show, from acting and stage design to behind-the-scenes work, like costumes, lighting and sound.

At last, with all of the hard work behind them, the students are excited to kick off their production of "The Wizard of Oz" on Wednesday morning, May 9, with an in-school performance for hundreds of their classmates and visiting students from schools around the county. The performance starts at 9:45 a.m.

The show opens to the public on Thursday night, May 10, and runs through Saturday, May 12. All evening performances begin at 7 p.m.

Information provided by Shelby County Schools.