Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Dorothy and The Wizard Of Oz
Posts tagged andrew lloyd webber
Tim Rice Lyricist for Lloyd Webber’s Wizard of Oz
Jun 22nd
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are all set to recreate their musical magic together for the new Wizard Of Oz stage musical, according. Lyric writer Tim Rice broke the news that he’ll be joining his former song-writing partner Lloyd Webber during the final show of BBCs ‘Over The Rainbow’ in which Danielle Hope was selected for the role of Dorothy.
In a BBC interview, Tim Rice revealed that he would “likely” collaborate with Lloyd Webber on new songs he is writing for the production. The Rice and Webber team has previously produced ‘Evita’, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ amongst others
‘The WIzard of Oz ’ will debut at the London Palladium in early 2011
So whilst Over the Rainbow could well have signalled the end of the partnership between Andrew Lloyd Webber and the BBC, the resulting production of The Wizard of Oz is likely to mark the start of a renewed collaboration between the composer and lyricist Tim Rice. Rice and Lloyd Webber had big hits in the 1960s and 1970s with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. In a recent BBC Radio 2 interview, Rice said the pair are likely to reunite for The Wizard of Oz, for which Lloyd Webber is writing four new songs. The production starts performances at the London Palladium on 7 February 2011.
Andrew Lloyd Webber with Tim Rice
Best Acting Dorothy?
May 22nd
There’s been a lot of focus on the singing and dancing performances of the remaining Dorothys but which one would really be best suited to playing the part night after night in Wizard of Oz?
One of the recent missions was about maintaining the Kansas accent and here you can see each of four contestants in a scene from Wizard of Oz that allows us to really evaluate their abilities as actors.
Now Andrew Lloyd Webber seemed to be bowled over by Danielle, so we get a clue here perhaps as to who he would like to see the public vote for tonight, but he also praises Lauren’s professionalism and wonders if she can pull out just a little bit more from inside her own emotion for us. Personally, I found the Danielle performance just a tad drawn out and over done, but there’s no doubt she would make a smashing Dorothy, as would any of them really.
Over the rainbow – Mission
After watching them each have a go at the real acting, who do you think comes out of this mission in the best position for tonight’s vote?
Over The Rainbow Charity Single with Winning Dorothy
May 20th
On Saturday 22nd May, the winning Dorothy will be finally chosen by Over The Rainbow viewers, and now it has been announced that the lucky Dorothy, as well as going on to play the part in The Wizard of Oz when it opens in London next April, will also get to release a single of the iconic ‘Over The Rainbow’ song, as first sung by Judy Garland in the 1939 film.
Wizard of oz
The charity single will be rushed out as a download available from midnight on Sunday 23rd May and all profits net of agreed expenses will be split fifty-fifty between two favoured charities of the TV show’s producers, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and the BBC: Prostate UK and The BBC Performing Arts Fund.
But the big question remains, whose voice will be singing “Over The Rainbow” on the charity single – will it be Lauren, Sophie or Danielle?
Sierra Boggess From Love Never Dies
May 18th
Sierra Boggess From Love Never Dies spent some time with the Dorothys last week giving advice and answering questions, specifically related to maintaining the stamina needed to fulfil the requirements of performing up to 8 times a week on the West End stage in London. She explained that the winning Dorothy who gets to perform in The Wizard Of Oz can expect not just a wonderful job but also a complete lifestyle as a leading lady. Sierra was impressed that the amount of working being put in by all at the Dorothy house was already a good preparation for the real thing.
On Sunday night’s Over The Rainbow, Sierra Boggess performed the title song from the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Love Never Dies
Sierra Boggess
Steph Fearon Not Dorothy
May 17th
Sadly, it was Steph Fearon’s time to go. All three Over The Rainbow judges agreed, the public had voted her into the bottom two and Andrew Lloyd Webber saved Lauren instead. Steph herself looked almost relieved by the decision, and was clearly thrilled to bits by the standing ovation she received from the vast studio audience. So now we are down to the final three Dorothys to be ranked by public vote only in the final episode of Over The Rainbow next Saturday.
Steph’s Performance of Rule The World:
The Sing off, Sunday
Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita
Goodbye Steph
“I’m disappointed not to have gone that little bit further but at the end of the day I wanted whatever the public wanted,” said Steph.
Steph Fearon, admits she would love to star in the West End musicals The Lion King, Wicked or Sister Act, and also said that Andrew Lloyd Webber had asked to meet her later this week to discuss her future.
The Wizard Of Oz has been done before
May 14th
I thought it would be interesting to go back over something Andrew Lloyd Webber said about The Wizard of Oz and Over The Rainbow way back during one of the early audition sessions, in fact in Scotland. Andrew Lloyd Webber talked about Over The Rainbow and the Wizard Of Oz production as one of his most ambitious projects yet but said he wanted to steer clear of the classic 1939 movie.
He said:
This is the most difficult show I’ve had to cast. Joseph, Oliver and Maria all came from established theatre productions which are huge hits.
The Wizard Of Oz has been done before, but it’s never worked properly because they’ve tried to recreate the movie too closely.
I’m essentially writing a whole new musical with some of the greatest songs ever written and composing completely new music for it.
There’s at least half a dozen new songs.
So that’s a tantalising insight into what the forthcoming London production at The Palladium promisies. A new musical with half a dozen new songs, a fantastic Dorothy (no matter who wins) all based on but not recreating the original American story.
Jessica Robinson Not Dorothy
May 10th
Oh noes! Not Jessica??!
Jessica Robinson became the surprise second victim of the double knock out weekend yesterday on Over The Rainbow simply because the public voted her into the bottom two alongside of Danielle, who ought really to be the outright favourite to win.
Given that dreadful choice, it was probably no choice at all that Danielle had to be saved but it still doesn’t seem right that Jessica should be out of the competition at this stage. When asked why she thought she had managed to avoid the bottom two so far, Jess put it down to her amazing fan base, but I’m afraid they let her down, just the once.
Ah well, what else happened…?
The mashup was a medley of songs, two from Fiddler on the roof and some pop songs.
Who catches your eye for most of the time when watching the group performances?
If They Could See Me Now
Tamsin Outhwaite returned to Over The Rainbow, this time to perform herself and show the girls exactly how it’s done.
Tamsin Outhwaite performs “If They Could See Me Now” from current West End smash hit musical Sweet Charity
The Sing Off
Danielle and Jessica were given an Andrew Lloyd Webber composition for the inevitable sing off, Take That Look Off Your Face from “Tell Me On A Sunday”
Goodbye Jessica
Jessica seemed to be genuinely grateful for having the good fortune to last through the show as long as she had done, and I’m sure leaves us with the confidence that she has a bright career in musical theatre ahead of her, (if not in Wizard Of Oz) as she sings Somewhere over The Rainbow and heads for flying moon.
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