NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Dozens of Nashville children were thrilled when they found out they had made the cast of a large-scale musical, only to have their hopes dashed.

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Several hundred people auditioned and paid a $50 fee to play a part in a show called "Oz The Musical." The show bills itself as a "contemporary musical twist on L. Frank Baum's classic tale 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.'"

The project is written and directed by Todrick D. Hall, of Oprah's Broadway hit "The Color Purple."

The organizers said it would use dozens of Nashville children as munchkins and flying monkeys in a big stage production at the downtown Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

"We were really excited about the opportunity," said parent Anna Grace McIntyre.

McIntyre and children from across Nashville flocked to three auditions at three reputable local dance schools: the Bellevue Dance Center, the Green Hills School of Dance and Elite Dance in Williamson County.

"There was a $50 audition fee, but then they said that they would return that after the performance as payment, so it would be a break even," said mother Carol Ann Jones.

However, organizers with "Oz" later told more than 100 children that they had lost their backer and they had to pull out of their TPAC performances.

But TPAC said Friday night in a statement that a Nashville performance of "Oz" was never confirmed or contracted. TPAC representatives said no one was aware that their name was used in association with this show.

"Oz The Musical" does not list a phone number and did not return Channel 4's e-mails for this story.

Its Web site lists that a Dec. 10 show in Louisville is on schedule. Organizers of the musical have already paid their deposit, according to the Kentucky Center for the Arts.

Meanwhile, affected families in Nashville are wondering if this deposit was paid for with their $50 in audition fees because, they said, they never had their money returned.