Ruby Red Robbery

Posted by Russell Rowland

I enlisted the help of Gordon Bass to take us back to the turn of the century and the stolen slipper epidemic that swept the country in the subsequent years. Let's hope this sordid past is behind us forever. I warn you this is a first hand account and it may be disturbing to some readers.

"During the last run of The Wizard of Oz in 1999, we had very large slippers made of styrofoam, all decked out in red glitter and mounted and wired up on the top of the marquee. One morning, I arrived at the theatre to find that one of the shoes was missing! I could not believe that anyone would have the intestinal fortitude to pull off the theft of the symbol of one of the most popular movies of all times. I called the police and after some careful investagative work, they followed the glitter trail up the sidewalk and up to an apartment above the street. There, they found the pieces of the shoe and after talking to the college age occupants of the apartment, found the rest of the ruby slipper in the dumpster out back. We were able to piece it back together and back up it went. We could not have bought all the press that the theft got us! Something good out of something bad..."

Gordon Bass
Tour Manager
Theatre IV

ps. You can see the new ruby slippers in the previous blogs slideshow.
pps. For any further First Friday, Theatre IV, and sundry other Empire info check out our NEW THEATRE IV BLOG at www.TheatreIVRichmond.org/blog.html

For info on the hoodlums who took the REAL slippers from the movie check out theses sights
http://rainbowz.deltacomm.com/rubyslipperfanclub/stolen_slippers.html
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4857921

--Russell Rowland