Wizard of Oz — Page 2

This has been discussed before and I said then that it is one of my dreams to mount the arlen/harburg wizard of oz on Broadway. It was meant to be on stage. I feel that the book needs some tweaking some of it will work but the crows for example calling the scarecrow a stuffed shirt, and how he's "stuck up"... yeah, we need some new jokes, but overall I think most of it will do. I guess I'd have to do it in partnership with MSG because I love some of the things they did having the witch sing the beginning of "The Jitterbug" and so on ... inspired. but, as for trimming it down ... no. I didn't like that. I love the entr'acte and the dance for "Merry Old Land of Oz" and such so everything they cut, I'd like reinstated for a Broadway run. and I like a lot of the original London designs for the show so I definitely want to take a closer look at all of that. I'm also currently on the hunt for an Arlen/Harburg trunk song because I'd love to put in an additional musical moment between Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Lion after the scene in the Wizard's Chamber. And I'd like to use "Ding Dong Emerald City" which was cut from the film ... ugh... I have too many ideas. I need to get organized.

ah, well, you're in luck. my script already has an outline of a scene between Aunt Em and Dorothy just before Toto comes back that has Aunt Em consoling Dorothy and they talk about how Dorothy had the measles once and Aunt Em was by her side the whole time blah, blah, blah and then Aunt Em sings a bit of a lullaby that is I guess is a bit of a pre-reprise then of the whole "There's a garden spot, I'm told where it's never too hot and it's never too cold" etc. etc...

I don't know if I'll keep it, it's just an idea that popped up during brainstorming...

Ok, dumb question:

I know that Wizard of Oz yall are referring to is not related to the movie...right?

I don't think I'm familiar with it though...is there more than one?

I saw I high school production and the main song was something "There's a Light in the Distance"

Is this the same bway musical?

I was in a touring version of it a long time ago...Kelly Rabke? played Dorothy...it did pretty badly financially.

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kates,
that was the Musicals America tour, right?? With the giant puppets as the Lollipop Guild?

Kelli also did Dorthy at Paper will and Walnut Street.

hmmm......

There was a production in the early 90s that toured from musicals America in Rhode Island that used large puppets as the Lollipop Guild. I saw that tour..

I also saw the 89-90 arena tour that bombed. It had prerecorded audio...

I've seen numerous OZ tours.. I may have seen the one you did.

I participated in a twisted non-professional version of Wizard of Oz. See how you like these changes...

L. Frank Baum, as a writer and narrator, participates in the story and interacts with the heroes.
The opening scene is actually black and white, costuming, makeup, set and all.
The wicked witch is a wicked warlock, and sings "No Bad News" from the Wiz.
The flying monkeys are on roller blades, with ramps all around the stage.
Toto turns into a half dog half boy when they get to Oz and joins with the heroes (and has a rap).
Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, has a southern accent.
After the witch dies, instead of Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead, they sing "Brand New Day" from the Wiz.

One of my favorite moments was when they finally faced the warlock. The warlock, knowing that this was a story that Baum was construing, made sure that no water, cauldrons, or buckets were near. Baum smiled, and with a gesture said "No imagination?" From behind a platform a crew person wearing all black (with a black mask) popped up with a super soaker and shot the warlock.

Those were some of the many changes... Some addicts of the original version were a bit stubborn at first, but were won over by the end of the show.

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NEcromancer - I enjoyed that.

When I was in France doing shows - same group that did Les Mis - we did Wizard of Oz. Obvioulsy, it's not as big over there. We had L. Frank Baum writing it and the Wizard of oz scenes took place around him. Then occasionally he would say a line, instead of one of the characeters.

It was basically a show about Baum writing the wizard of oz.

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