The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)

The Wizard of Oz is Andrew Lloyd Webber's 18th musical.^[8] Tim Rice first collaborated with Lloyd Webber in 1965, together writing The Likes of Us. Their next piece was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, followed by two more concept albums that became hit musicals, Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978). Except for a special collaboration for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday celebration, the musical Cricket in 1986, after Evita, each man turned to other collaborators to produce further well-known musical theatre works.

To create the new musical, Lloyd Webber and director Jeremy Sams adapted the 1939 film's screenplay, and Rice and Lloyd Webber added several new songs to the film's score.^[9]

Production history

London (2011–12)

After previews beginning 7 February,^[10] the musical opened in the West End, at the London Palladium, on 1 March 2011. The role of Dorothy was originated by Danielle Hope, who was selected through the reality television show Over the Rainbow,^[11] and the title role of the Wizard was created by Michael Crawford.^[12] Over the Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans performed the role of Dorothy on Tuesday evenings and when Hope was ill or on holiday.^[13] Hannah Waddingham originated the role of the Wicked Witch of the West^[14] and was replaced in September 2011 by her understudy, Marianne Benedict.^[15] Hope and Crawford left the production on 5 February 2012.^[16] Evans replaced Hope in the role of Dorothy full-time in February 2012,^[17] and Russell Grant took over soon afterwards as The Wizard, for 14 weeks.^[18] Des O'Connor portrayed The Wizard from May 2012 until the production closed.^[19]

The musical was produced by Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright,^[20] with direction by Jeremy Sams, choreography by Arlene Phillips and sets and costumes by Robert Jones.^[14] It took in pre-opening sales of £10 million.^[21] The production celebrated its 500th performance on 9 May 2012^[22] and closed on 2 September 2012.^[19]

Toronto and North American tour (2012–14)

An autumn 2012 reality TV show, Over the Rainbow, hosted by Daryn Jones, searched for a Canadian girl to play the role of Dorothy in a Toronto staging by Mirvish Productions.^[23][24] On 5 November 2012, viewers of the show chose Danielle Wade, a 20-year-old University of Windsor acting major, to play the role, with Stephanie La Rochelle as first runner up.^[25][26] The production premiered on 20 December 2012 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre with an official opening on 13 January 2013. Besides Wade, the all-Canadian cast also included Cedric Smith as Professor Marvel/the Wizard, Lisa Horner as Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West, Mike Jackson as the Tin Man, Lee MacDougall as the Cowardly Lion, Jamie McKnight as the Scarecrow and Robin Evan Willis as Glinda.^[27] The production concluded its run on 18 August 2013, having been seen by over 500,000 people.^[28]

The musical received a North American tour beginning on 10 September 2013 at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the original Canadian cast, except that Jacquelyn Piro Donovan played Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West.^[29] It concluded on 29 June 2014 at the Detroit Opera House.^[30]

Australian tour (2017–18)

The musical began touring Australia beginning 4 November 2017 at the Lyric Theatre,

On 1 December 2022, it was announced that the Leicester production would transfer to London's West End at the London Palladium (where the original 2011 production also ran) for a limited season from 23 June to 3 September 2023, with an official opening night on 6 July.^[34] It is produced by Michael Harrison, starring Jason Manford as the Cowardly Lion, Ashley Banjo as the Tin Man, and Gary Wilmot as the Wizard and Professor Marvel (having previously played the Wizard in Wicked, and the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion in the 1987 version).^[35][36][37] Also featured in the cast are Louis Gaunt as the Scarecrow, Dianne Pilkington as the Wicked Witch, and Bianco and Onuorah reprising their roles of Glinda and Dorothy, respectively, from the Leicester production.^[38]

UK and Ireland tour and West End revival (2023–24)

It was also announced that the Leicester/London production will tour the UK and Ireland beginning at the Liverpool Empire Theatre from 13 December 2023 until August 2024 with further dates to be announced, starring Aston Merrygold as the Tin Man and The Vivienne and Craig Revel Horwood as the Wicked Witch, with Wilmot returning as the Wizard.^[39][40]

The production will also return to the West End from 15 August 2024 for a limited 4 week run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre with Merrygold and The Vivienne reprising their roles from the tour as the Tin Man and the Wicked Witch.^[41]

Plot

Act I

Orphaned teenager

Landing in Oz, Dorothy's house flattens the Wicked Witch of the East. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, greets Dorothy and tells her where she is. Glinda calls for the Munchkins to come out. These little people, overjoyed at the demise of their wicked tormentor, welcome Dorothy and Toto ("Munchkinland Music Sequence"). Glinda presents Dorothy with the magic ruby slippers that belonged to the dead witch. This enrages the witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda tells Dorothy that the Wizard of Oz might be able to help her return home, and how to find him. Dorothy sets off toward the Emerald City to speak to the great Oz ("Follow the Yellow Brick Road").

On her way, she meets the

Emerging into the light, the friends encounter another obstacle. The Wicked Witch has cast a spell creating a huge field of poppies that puts Dorothy and the Lion to sleep. Glinda counters with a snowfall that nullifies the poison, so the friends may continue on their journey ("Optimistic Voices"). Arriving at the Emerald City, Dorothy and company persuade the gatekeeper to admit them. They are welcomed with open arms and are groomed in preparation for a meeting with the Wizard ("The Merry Old Land of Oz"). The Wicked Witch flies down into the city with more threats, still angry that she doesn't have the ruby slippers. The four friends and Toto go into the Wizard's chamber. The great Oz appears as a frightening, disembodied head and says he will grant the group their wishes if they do something for him first. He demands: they must bring him the broomstick of the Witch of the West ("Bring Me the Broomstick").

Act II

In a forest on the way to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West, the group try to figure out how to steal the broomstick. They hide from a group of the Witch's Winkies ("March of the Winkies"). Meanwhile, in her castle, the Witch sends her

Dorothy and her friends go to see the Wizard with the broomstick. Toto reveals that the Wizard's fearsome visage is an illusion; he is just an ordinary man. Still, he gives the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion tokens of the brains, heart and courage that they already had inside of them. He tells Dorothy that he himself will take her to Kansas in his hot air balloon, appointing the Scarecrow as prime minister of Oz, with the Tin Man and Lion as other ministers. Just before the balloon flies off, Toto runs into the crowd, and Dorothy retrieves him, missing her ride; she is seemingly stranded in Oz. Glinda appears to tell her that she and Toto had the power to return home all along ("Already Home"). After saying goodbye to her friends, Dorothy taps her heels together three times, chanting "There's no place like home".

Back in Kansas, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry tell Dorothy that she hit her head and had been unconscious for days. Dorothy insists her adventure in Oz was real, not a dream, but she is very grateful to be home. As Aunt Em and Uncle Henry leave her alone in her bedroom to rest, a gust of wind blows open her cupboard door, revealing the ruby slippers.

Cast and characters

Toto, Dorothy's dog, was played by four different West Highland White Terriers in the Original West End production.^[46][47]

Notable replacements

West End (2011-12)

• Dorothy: Sophie Evans
• Professor Marvel/The Wizard: Russell Grant, Des O'Connor

Musical numbers

Music

Most of the musical's songs are taken from the 1939 film and were written by

*denotes new song by Lloyd Webber and Rice.

**denotes new lyric by Rice.

***denotes new song by Lloyd Webber.

Cast Recording

A cast album, featuring the songs from the original London production, was released as a CD and digital download on 9 May 2011.^[50]

Reception

Original 2011 London production

Opening night reviews were mixed but generally praised the designs, the special effects and several cast members, especially Waddingham.

"The star of the show is undoubtedly the set and costume designer, Robert Jones. The Kansas cyclone that whisks Dorothy into a dreamworld is evoked through vorticist projections (the work of Jon Driscoll) that betoken chaos in the cosmos. The Yellow Brick Road is on a tilted revolve from inside which poppyfields and labyrinthine forest emerge. The Emerald City is full of steeply inclined walls suggesting a drunkard's vision of the Chrysler Building lobby. And the Wicked Witch of the West inhabits a rotating dungeon that might be a Piranesi nightmare. ... Of course, there are the songs; it's good to be reminded of such classics as "Over The Rainbow", "We're Off To See The Wizard", and "Follow The Yellow Brick Road". The additions by Lloyd Webber and Rice are also perfectly acceptable. Dorothy is given a good plaintive opening number, and Red Shoes Blues, sung by the Wicked Witch, has a pounding intensity."^[54]

The Oxford Times reviewed the production during Evans's first week (in May 2011) replacing the vacationing Hope, calling the show "hugely enjoyable" and commenting of Evans: "Such is her success in the role that it would be hard to imagine anyone could consider they were getting second-best."^[55]

Awards and nominations

Original London production

Original Toronto production

2023 London revival

See also

• The Wizard of Oz, a 1987 stage musical adaptation of the 1939 film, originally produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company
• Adaptations of The Wizard of Oz
• Musical selections in The Wizard of Oz

Notes

References

• Swartz, Mark Evan.
  ISBN 0-8018-6477-1