Drew Barrymore

Barrymore has been developing the project for years, and at one point appeared set to play Dorothy’s great-great-granddaughter, who learns to use the ruby slippers’ power when the Wicked Witch unexpectedly returns to take over Oz and the earth. It’s unclear if Barrymore will still take the role or just direct.

Now “Surrender Dorothy” is just one out of five “Oz” films that have been reported as being in development recently, following the big box-office success of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

Possible films include “Oz the Great and Powerful,” a Disney project that would show how the Wizard came to Oz. There may also be a film version of “Wicked“, the musical prequel to Wizard of Oz. Wicked the musical has been fabulously successful on Broadway and in the London West End.

From June 1st Wales’ leading amateur theatre company, Orbit, celebrates its 41st year with the opening night of a week-long run of its own version of The Wizard of Oz at the New Theatre in Cardiff.

Dorothy is sung by Nicola Caldwell and the Wales Online reporter Dave Owens spoke to her about the role:

Nicola Caldwell:

I’m 22 years old, I come from Penarth and I’ve just qualified from university as a primary school teacher.
Probably the biggest role I’ve done is Les Miserables in London’s West End for the 20th anniversary, which was fantastic. They chose 3,000 kids under 18 to apply, I was 17 at the time, and had done a school edition of the show. Out of the 3,000 who auditioned and sent tapes off, 35 got in. And I was one of the lucky ones!

It’s every little girl’s dream, to play Dorothy, isn’t it, to wear the red ruby slippers and sing Over The Rainbow? It’s such an honour. It’s the archetypal dream role.

On the runner-up, Welsh girl Sophie Evans, and the winner, Danielle Hope?

Nicola:

Actually I liked the girl who finished third, Lauren Samuels. She was my favourite. She was really bubbly and very magnanimous and gracious when she went out.

The Wizard of Oz is showing at the New Theatre in Cardiff from 1st 5th June

Orbit Theatre

Wizard of Oz – Orbit Theatre Company

By L. FRANK BAUM
With Music and Lyrics of the MGM motion picture score
by HAROLD ARLEN and E.Y. HARBURG
Background Music by HERBERT STOTHART
Book Adaptation by JOHN KANE from the motion picture screenplay

Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th June 2010
New Theatre
Park Place
Cardiff

Book Online via The New Theatre, Cardiff

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

Danielle Hope

Danielle’s Performance on Saturday

Steph Fearon

Steph’s performance of Rule The World

Sophie Evans

Sophie’s Performance of Reflection

Lauren Samuels

Lauren’s performance of Heaven.

Dorothy Duets

Ins the first duet duel of the night, Sophie and Steph sang I’m Gonna Was That Man Right Out of My Hair, and then

Lauren and Danielle performed a duet version of Popular from the hit Oz musical, Wicked.

Tamzin Outhwaite – Sweet Charity

If They Could See Me Now – some of the group worked really well. I think Dorothy might be in this group.
Andrew Lloyd Webber made Tamzin blush by saying how fabulous he thought she was in Sweet Charity.

Sheridan Smith – Legally Blonde

Good group but a bit static in their show song.

Kerry Ellis – We Will Rock You

Kerry Ellis is famous for being a popular witch Wicked and is going to replace Jodie Prenger in Oliver! soon.
Her group didn’t do very well. Found the rock number tricky.

Ruthie Henshall – Chicago

They sang All That Jazz and made quite a success of it. Her group were probably the best dancers.

Mel C – Blood Brothers

Told her group to keep their song ‘small’, they did and it was OK. One of them forgot what the song was about and kept grinning, not good.

The final 10 +1

The format is that the judges picked their 10 with the ‘help’ of ALW and then the other 10 sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow so the public could decide who they wanted to bring back.

So, the final 10 Dorothy Contestants from Over The Rainbow are as follows

Danielle Hope, 17, from Manchester
I quite like Danielle. I think she’ll do well but I’m not sure she’s right for Dorothy.

Jenny Douglas, 18, from Scotland
Not bad at all, she stood out in what was not that strong a group. I’m not sure what her dancing is like and we’re told they need a Dorothy that can dance as well as sing.

Lauren Samuels, 22, from London
Again, lovely and talented but not maybe not Dorothy. I might be wrong and I would like to see more of her.

Bronte Barbe, 18, from Cheshire
She’s definitely got some sort of charisma, nice voice but I’m just not sure. Need to see more of her.

Sophie Evans, 17, from Wales
As Andy said “She’s Welsh, of course she can sing” and I think she can act a bit too. I’m not sure about the dancing though…

Stephanie Davis, 17, from Merseyside
Very pretty, she’d make a charming Dorothy. I’d like to see more of her acting though.

Amy Diamond, 22, from Cheshire
Oh dear. I’m sure she’s got a great voice and is talented but er, she’s too grown up to be Dorothy. She’s a woman and she will have to be an amazing actress to make me believe she is a child.

Jessica Robinson, 18, from Middlesborough
Great face, something of the Liza Minnelli there. Little bit gawky and awkward in the pop song but she was totally at home in her show tune. She could be Dorothy.

Steph Fearon, 21, from London
Good voice, tended to be a little bit too R&B sometimes. She’s a possible I think.

Dani Rayner, 16, from Cheshire
Youngest in the competition Dani really could be Dorothy. AWL likes her, she’s got a great voice and she seems to be a good actress. I was impressed.

Over The Rainbow – The Search for Dorothy Continues

The competition continues over Easter with knockout editions of Over The Rainbow on Saturday and Easter Sunday.

Do you think you could be Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next leading lady? Would you give anything to become Dorothy in the new London West End production of The Wizard of Oz?

Follow in the footsteps of previous winners Connie Fisher, Lee Mead and Jodie Prenger by applying to be part of a TV show challenge to find Dorothy, this one called “Over The Rainbow” beginning in 2010.

Dorothy Wanted for Over The Rainbow

The BBC has just opened applications for their newest reality TV show ‘Over The Rainbow’ , to be judged by a team including Andrew Lloyd Webber and the voting public. Auditions are open to everyone, no matter how much or how little experience you have and nationwide auditions for Dorothy begin in January 2010. All applicants must have been aged 16 or over by 26 June 2009.

Apply online now to book your audition

The Wizard of Oz musical is due to open in London sometime in 2010, based on the original classic MGM film from 1939, starring Judy Garland.

Yes, The Wizard of Oz is coming to London and the person to play part of Dorothy will be chosen by another reality TV style competition with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the TV audience making the final decision.

The Wizard of Oz is a famously familiar story with most people believing they have read the original book although this is probably because they saw the MGM Film with Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow” but it speaks directly to people of all ages either as a childlike fairy story or else as some kind of parable for the American dream. Who hasn’t realised they made some silly mistake and remarked ” If I only had a brain” quoting directly from one of the most popular songs in the film. The film is a musical film so stage versions have often been produced and performed at all levels from schools to amateur dramatics right up to full blown professional big time Broadway and West End shows. This time it’s guaranteed to be a huge spectacular in London because the production company behind it is none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber’s with massive successes like The Phantom of The Opera, Cats, and Joseph to their name along with the anticpated Love Never Dies Phantom continuation which launches next March.

Over The Rainbow

The other factor ramping up the likely popularity of the Wizard of Oz in London will be the TV show which is planned to cast Dorothy. Following on the tradition now established by previous TV contests we know this will bring new audiences and added interest particularly during the vital first few months of the stage show in the West End. Whilst “Big Brother” may have reached the end of its useful life the great British public is showing no sign of getting fed up with celebrity talent competitions such as Strictly Come Dancing” and these casting shows like “Over The Rainbow”

Jodie Prenger is still going strong in Oliver after winning the part of Nancy in I’d Do Anything last year. Lee Mead has gome on to other great things after winning teh part of Joseph in “Any Dream Will Do” and the other show was to find a Maria for The Sound of Music.

The Tin Man the lion and the scarecrow will be accompanying Dorothy along the yellow brick road some time in 2010 at an as yet unspecified theatre in London’s West End and I know that I for one cannot wait to see it!