It Was a Wicked Good Afternoon For Oz Contest

There was no place like Broadway Plaza Saturday afternoon for two generations of the Philips family of Concord (with one generation of French poodle as well). They linked arms and skipped away from an Oz-fest.

The family came away with five awards in a stage contest to promote the Diablo Theatre Company's upcoming presentation of The Wizard of Oz.

Daisy Philips, the French poodle, shared the Toto award with a Great Dane named Oleg Kurtz from Lafayette. "She's in the French version of The Wizard of Oz," quipped Patrick Philips, himself a winner as the Tin Man.

Other winners:

• Scarecrow — Jenn Philips;
• Dorothys — Julia Martin, age 4, of San Jose; Payton Laforteza, 7, of Walnut Creek; Brooke Baiza, 6, of Walnut Creek; Lindsey Philips, 8, of Concord and Lauren Philips, 6, of Concord.

The judges were Jackie Hochhauser of Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek City Council members Kish Rajan and Kristina Lawson.

After the awards were given and the pictures taken, 6-year-old Lauren Philips in her Dorothy outfit clicked her ruby slippers three times and pronounced, "There's no place like home."