The Wizard of Oz (1942 musical)
The Wizard of Oz | |
---|---|
Starlight Theatre, 1953, 1963, 1984 , 1982, 1990Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park |
The Wizard of Oz is a
The musical was first presented in 1942 at The Muny and has been revived many times since, both by The Muny and by other companies.
Background
The Wizard of Oz was first turned into a
Synopsis
Act I
A teenage girl, Dorothy, lives on a farm in dreary Kansas with her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em dreaming of faraway places ("
Dorothy meets the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. The Scarecrow wants to get a brain, and the Tin Woodman needs a heart ("
Act II
The friends finally reach the Emerald City, where they meet Lord Growlie, his daughter Gloria and the Royal Army of Oz. Lord Growlie warns that if someone bothers the Wizard with a foolish request, he may destroy them. Gloria leads Dorothy and friends on a tour ("The Merry Old Land of Oz"), and Ozian girls ask Dorothy to sing about love ("Evening Star"). Finally, the friends meet the Wizard. He is very frightening and says that, before he will help them, they must kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy and her new friends travel to the castle of the Wicked Witch, who sends various foes to hamper or attack them, but they manage to persevere. The witch eventually captures Dorothy, and her friends try to rescue her, disguising themselves as ghosts. The witch is not fooled and intends to shrink Dorothy and her friends with a magic potion in her cauldron. When the witch threatens the Scarecrow with fire, Dorothy pushes her into the cauldron, shrinking her away to nothing ("Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" (reprise)).
The friends return to the Emerald City, but the Wizard tries to put them off. The Wizard turns out to be an ordinary old man who had journeyed to Oz from Omaha long ago. However, the Wizard provides the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion with a diploma, a watch to show large heartedness, and a medal of "courage", respectively, and convinces them all that these items solve their problems. To help Dorothy get home, the Wizard personally escorts her to his new rocket ship, as everyone waves ("Over the Rainbow" (reprise)).
Songs
Act I
- "Over The Rainbow" – Dorothy
- "Munchkinland" (Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead) – Munchkins, Dorothy and Sorceress
- "If I Only Had a Brain" – Scarecrow
- "If I Only Had a Heart" – Tin Woodman
- "We're Off to See the Wizard" (Follow the Yellow Brick Road) – Dorothy, Scarecrow and Tin Woodman
- "If I Only Had the Nerve" – Cowardly Lion
- "The Jitterbug" – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion
Act II
- "The Merry Old Land of Oz" – Gloria and Company
- "Evening Star" – Dorothy and Chorus
- "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" (reprise) – Company
- "Over the Rainbow" (reprise) – Company
Productions
In 1942 the
Among Gabrielson's many additions are a skeletal butler, "Tibia", serving the Wicked Witch. Other new characters include Joe, Banana Man, Queen of the Butterflies, Old Lady, Lord Growlie, the Wizard's daughter Gloria, and numerous witches. In addition to "Evening Star", "Song Macabre" and "Ghost Dance" are added to the Harold Arlen score.[5] The song "The Jitterbug", which was cut from the film, is inserted instead of the poppy field scene. There is no Toto, Miss Gulch, Professor Marvel, Winkies, Flying Monkeys or magic shoes.[3]
This version of the script is still sometimes used, but it has been largely usurped by
See also
- The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)
- The Wizard of Oz (adaptations)
- Musical selections in The Wizard of Oz
Notes
- ^ Swartz, p. 146
- ^ a b c "The Wizard of Oz (MUNY Version)". Tams–Witmark Music Library. 2005. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Raymond, Kurt. "We're off to Stage the Wizard of Oz". Beyond the Rainbow to Oz website. Retrieved December 25, 2010.
- ^ Sherman, p. 72
- ^ Sherman, p. 76
- ^ "The Starlight Theatre: The Wizard of Oz 1953 Season", Abebooks.com, accessed February 12, 2018
- ^ "The Wizard of Oz, 1963", Ovrtur.com, accessed February 12, 2018
- Atchison Daily Globe, July 12, 1984, p. 1
- ^ "Cincinnati Playhouse, Production History". Cincyplay.com, accessed July 2, 2011
References
- Sherman, Fraser A. The Wizard of Oz Catalog. McFarland and Company, 2005.
- Swartz, Mark Evan. ISBN 0-8018-6477-1