Last week was a much-needed escape from the chaos in our country. We were in Las Vegas, celebrating an anniversary. The highlight of our trip was seeing The Wizard of Oz in the Sphere.
Despite seeing the movie dozens of times, this was a different experience in multiple ways.
First off, the 4-D movie screen wraps around and above you. It feels like you’re right there. As the tornado approaches, the wind blows in your face, your chair shakes, leaves actually fall from the trees, and the noise is overwhelming.
When the tornado finally passes, Dorothy and Toto find themselves in a strange land where they meet the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Following the Yellow Brick Road, they eventually arrive in Oz, home of the great wizard who can help her get home.
That’s when the story took an unexpected turn for me. It felt like what I was experiencing in real life today.
When the group was finally escorted into the Wizard’s presence, he appeared on a giant screen above them as a massive, discombobulated, angry head.
He bellows out, “I am Oz—the Great and Powerful! Who are you?” Clearly, intimidation was his goal. Everyone is shaking in fear.
Dorothy answers, “If you please, I am Dorothy—the small and meek. We’ve come to ask...”
The Wizard interrupts and, in a menacing voice, says, “The Great and Powerful Oz knows why you have come!”
Then he tells Dorothy & friends that they must defeat the Wicked Witch and bring back her broom before he will grant her wish. They’re terrified but do it anyway—at great peril.
Mission accomplished, they return to Oz and present her broom to the Wizard. That’s when he dismissively declares, “Not so fast! Not so fast! I’ll have to give the matter a little thought! Go away and come back tomorrow!”
Dorothy demands that he keep his promises. And, at the same time, Toto pulls aside a curtain to reveal an ordinary, flustered man speaking into a microphone.
When he realizes he’s been exposed, the Wizard shouts, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
Dorothy sees the truth. The Wizard is not who he pretends to be. To maintain his power, he employs intimidation, scaring people into doing what he wants — or what could happen if they disobey.
She confronts him, saying, “I think you’re a very bad man!”
He admits that he’s a bad Wizard but doesn’t accept the immorality of leading like that.
If Dorothy can speak truth to power, we can too! And if we truly want to create what’s possible in this country / world, we need to work together as partners.
Let’s lead from that perspective.
P.S. I took the above picture at the show!