Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Dorothy and The Wizard Of Oz
Wizard of Oz
Wizard Of Oz is 71 today
Aug 11th
Happy birthday to The Wizard of Oz, the film that is, not the musical, Seventy One years old today!
And Google has a special google logo thing on their search page just for Wizard of Oz
Google – Wizard of Oz
Who would have thought that the film was that old? According to the Internet Movie Database ( IMDB) The Wizard of Oz was released on 25 August 1939 (USA) but I’m sure Google has a good reason for celebrating early. Ah yes, the premiere was in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on teh 12th August 1939, so that’s the day to celebrate a birthday in Oz.
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
Wizard of Oz Sequel – Surrender Dorothy
Jun 15th
Drew Barrymore is set to direct the film “Surrender Dorothy,” which will be a “loose sequel” to the classic 1939 movie musical “The Wizard of Oz“.
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.
The Wizard of Oz – in Cardiff
Jun 1st
The Wizard of Oz is such a classic musical for any theatre company to put on that is stands to reason there will be a production of some sort current at almost any time of year.
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
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
When Danielle Hope is not Dorothy
May 23rd
If you are eagerly looking forward to seeing the newly emerged Wizard of Oz Dorothy, Danielle Hope, winner of Over the Rainbow it may be worth taking note of the following information when booking tickets for next year.
Danielle is not guaranteed to play the following performances of Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium on:
Tuesdays.
The winner’s annual holidays have also been reserved as:
Week commencing 2nd May 2011
Week commencing 5th September 2011
Week commencing 12th September 2011
Of course nothing can really be guaranteed and in the event of illness etc the part of Dorothy will be played by an understudy but if you want the best possible chance of seeing Danielle Hope in the role then avoid booking Wizard f of Oz tickets or theatre breaks for a Tuesday or those three weeks in May and September next year.
Danielle Hope
Wizard of Oz Medley on Charity Single
May 21st
The B Side of the Over The Rainbow charity single, released on Sunday will feature a medley of Wizard of Oz songs from the show, as sung by the three Dorothy finalists, Danielle, Sophie And Lauren on the last show of the series.
From Monday May 31st, the charity single will be available as a physical CD, complete with The Wizard of Oz Medley, as performed by all three finalists and other Dorothy contenders from earlier episodes of the Over The Rainbow show, as a bonus B-side to the titular track. The medley will consist of some of the classic Wizard of Oz songs sung throughout the competition by the Dorothys including:
- Follow The Yellow Brick Road
- We’re Off To See The Wizard
- It Really Was No Miracle
- Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
- The Merry Old Land Of Oz
- If I Only Had A Heart
For the three remaining Dorothys Lauren, Sophie and Danielle there is just one more live show left in which to convince the nation that each has the necessary qualities to win.
The three finalists will sing a range of songs including their own favourites from the series, as well as performing an exclusive group performance with the eight Dorothys who have already left the competition, all back on the Over the Rainbow stage set for the last time.
Over The Rainbow – Dorothys
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.
Forum Comments