ALW's The Wizard of Oz broadway — Page 2

I hate when touring shows come to Broadway. They always feel "scaled back" as opposed to the real thing. I'd say MSG is a safe bet.

It is indeed a massive show. I was in Toronto a couple week ago and toured backstage with the associate director. I don't know what they are, but there are some changes planned for the tour. Right now, all of the Act I sets have to be raised into the flies during Act II, and vice versa, as there is no room for both acts' sets in the wings.

The treadmill ramp and flowered set pieces for Munchinland create a beautiful effect — as the ramp turn, the pieces to the side move with it, giving the look of a popup book. It's definitely my favourite set in the production.

I think the lyrics to "Ding! Dong!" are some of the most brilliant ever written, and while ALW's new songs aren't up to that standard, they are at least as good as my least favourite from the film, such as "If I Only Had A (fill in the blank)..." I do understand the reason for the additional music and scenes — I'm not a huge fan of the film and I've seen basically a carbon copy of it onstage, I wasn't keen on doing that again — and I think they served their purpose well.

I appreciated all of the music, new and old, much better after seeing the show; it can't be judged simply based on the London recording.

I can't put my finger on it, but does "Wonders of the World" remind anyone of another song?

And, as of right now, I think Danielle Wade (Dorothy) is the only one announced to continue into the US.

This is not a Broadway-worthy production. The show tries too hard to slavishly copy the movie and put it on stage. There is no originality or imagination to it. The RSC production (Although it also was too tied to the film) at least offered some imaginative touches.

The original Harold Arlen/EY Harburg score has the right tone for this beloved story. Andrew Lloyd Webber's pop ballads are embarrassingly bad and weigh the show down like rocks in a hot air balloon. His music lacks the gift of melody that Arlen frequently displayed throughout his career, and Harburg's playful lyrics capture Baum's whimsey. Tim Rice's lyrics are bland to the point of irritation. The new songs are just plain bad, and interrupt the flow of the story. Once again Andrew Lloyd Webber shows that he doesn't have a clue how to use music to heighten the emotions of the story. He also, apparently doesn't much like Baum's original story. He prefers to copy the screenplay and ignores many of the other adventures and characters Dorothy and her friends encounter. I truly believe that the original novel can and should be turned into a full musical without copying Noel Langley's adapted screenplay - good as it is on film. Rather than adding new songs, write a full original score that could explore other aspects of classic novel.

The production values for the Toronto edition are generally fine (except the Tornado is done by a projected film/video on scrim over the stage. (I am always reminded of the inventive staging of the Tornado in THE WIZ an an example of creative theatrical thinking.)

ALW also seems to thinks adding "gay" jokes will amuse adults while sailing over the heads of the tiny tots. None of them are rewarded with any laughs while the poor cast has been directed to stand still and wait for them. Once again, no one thinks to trust the source material.

Despite heavy advertising, the show has not proven to be a big box-office success in Toronto and heavy discounting went into effect shortly after the Christmas holidays. (The ad runs 2-3 times an hour in prime time television. It has succeeded in making me really hate the melody of "Over the Rainbow.")

As for Ms. Danielle Wade as Dorothy - she has a pretty voice but no stage presence and succeeds in removing any pathos or sympathy for the character. When you don't get a lump in your throat when Dorothy bids goodbye to her new friends to return to Kansas something is seriously wrong. Save your money and rent (or buy) the movie.

---

I believe that almost all of the cut verses appear in the RSC version. I know that they are featured in Over the Rainbow, all of the "If I Only Had a
..." songs, Ther Merry Old Land of Oz, and King of the Forest. Everyone should give the original RSC recording a listen to. Brilliant orchestrations and Gillian Bevan has such a unique voice as Dorothy. Most of the tracks are on "that sight." Just listen to ALW's Twister and the RSC Twister and you'll have your answer as to which is the superior stage adaptation.

Updated On: 7/2/13 at 09:06 PM

The MUNY version is a mashup of elements from Baum's Oz novels and the more-iconic film. While it's been praised for not copying the movie, it's been criticized for adding elements from the books that are, frankly, not as good as the stuff people remember from the movie- dog people and a rocket ship (to Mars? to Pigfarts?) are two of the more notorious additions, if I recall.

I agree with many of your points Frontrow, but I bet any producrs would be concerned with an Oz musical lacking Over the Rainbow. I grew upa massive Oz fan, but I'm not really sure what elements from the books that are missing would be easy to squeeze in--particularly and specifically the first book.

Others on here mentioned the MUNY version I believe with a rocket (?) I vaguely remember seeing a community production as a kid that really annoyed me because it had a rocket. It also added weird elements like the Witch had a skeleton butler (I think?) I do remember it included Jitterbug. Is this that version?

I was almost certain there's a rocket ship SOMEWHERE in the Oz canon. There's all sorts of crazy **** in there. The bizarre stuff that the novel of "Wicked" is notorious for including- bestiality at tiger-sex nightclubs, sexual deformities, the very real possibility of Elphaba being some kind of hermaphrodite or otherwise sexually othered being; all of these are funhouse-mirror reflections of Baum's Oz, where the first protagonist after Dorothy is capable of changing gender like we change clothes, if I recall.

Say, Beagle, are you the Beagle who used to frequent another board I was a regular on? I was just thinking of you and the old guard the other day, wondering who made the jump and who got left behind.

frontrowcentre2, there is a cast recording of an original musical called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" that you might enjoy. It's a little bit more faithful to the novel and includes songs with other characters like the mouse queen and her field mice.

Thanks, CATSNYrevival for mentioning this. I am very familiar with this show, which premiered in Toronto, having been at the opening.


This is exactly the kind of new adaptation I was hoping the Lloyd-Webber version would be. The score by the late James Doyle is inventive and tuneful and the show was staged with a great deal of creativity and imagination. Everything the current production misses. As I watched the new version I kept thinking how much I wanted to see the Cascone-Doyle version again.
Although this was presented by a community theatre group with an amateur cast, they did make an original cast recording of the production, which is available through their website. (See the link below)

The recording is a bit problematic and sounds as if the performers are too far away from the microphones at times. Also, some of the younger performers have pitch problems. Even so the magic of the writing more than compensates. For all cast album collectors it is a score well worth checking out.


THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ cast CD

---

BROADWAYDUDE

There are actually further verses not used by the RSC version for example

MERRY OLD LAND OF OZ

It's a fact thats sad but true
The ordinary mortal,
Says he has better things to do
Than chuckle, chirp and chortle
But what such things could be,
Is a mystery to me?.

At rainbows end*, we simply can't
imagine any reason for waisting tim.
On things that aren't enjoyable or pleasin'
Except when we're asleep.
All we do is laugh
And go on laughing

Ha, Ha, Ha etc

And the ending-

That's how we laugh the day away
In the lots to eat
And time to play
No work to do
Or bills to pay
In the 'stradinary'
Legendary,
'maginary
Very, very
Merry Old Land of Oz

*obviously an early idea/misconception

IF I ONLY HAD DA NERVE

If you could fight,
And you could feel,
If you were bright,
Life would be really
So much richer and 'repleater'
And sweeter and much neater
We thank our lucky star
That only the mighty Wizard
By some magic right of his
Can bring us up to par
And we'll be far better off
Than we are.

OVER THE RAINBOW

(ALW uses a portion of this)

Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes
And in that land beyond the skies
You'll find me
I'll be a laughing daffodil
And leave the silly cares that
Fill my mind behind me.


The MUNY version is indeed the one with the ship, the dogs are not in that script but could well have been added by a further adaptation

Updated On: 10/3/13 at 06:45 AM

"I just saw the tour in Los Angeles and I want to punch ALW in the face."


Now there's one for the marquee!

---