The Wizard of Oz
From Theatre Breaks
The Wizard of Oz in London
The Wizard of Oz musical will open in London in April 2011 at the London Palladium
The show previews from Feb. 7th 2011 with a March 1st opening.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of The Wizard of Oz has extended its book period at the London Palladium and is now selling tickets through to 15 January 2012.
Wizard of Oz Theatre Breaks
| musical: The Wizard of Oz | 
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| starring: Danielle Hope | |
| Book Now: The Wizard of Oz theatre breaks | |
| opening night:March 1st 2011 booking until Sunday October 28th 2012 |
Sophie Evans IS Dorothy
Sophie Evans Week
This week has also seen Sophie Evans, the Welsh runner-up on Lloyd Webber’s BBC search for Dorothy, filling the iconic ruby slippers while Over the Rainbow winner Danielle Hope is on holiday.
Evans, who typically only performs on Tuesday evenings, started her week-long run as Dorothy on 2 May with a media night held last night (3 May 2011). During her curtain call Lloyd Webber was on hand to present an elated Evans with flowers as she took her bows with the rest of the cast.
Danielle Hope stars as Dorothy alongside Michael Crawford as the Wizard, Edward Baker-Duly as the Tin Man, David Ganly as the Lion, Paul Keating as the Scarecrow, Emily Tierney as Glinda, and Hannah Waddingham as the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wizard of Oz Dates and Times
The Wizard of Oz opens at London Palladium, London
When: Mon Feb 7, 2011
Performance times
* Evenings Tuesday at 19.00 and Wednesday to Saturday at 19.30
Matinees Wednesday & Saturday at 14.30 & Sunday at 15.00
There will be no show on Mondays
IMPORTANT CASTING INFORMATION:
Please note that the winner is not guaranteed to play Tuesday evening performances after the press night (Tuesday 1 March 2011).
The winner will NOT perform on Monday 14 or 21 February 2011 and their holiday weeks have been confirmed as week commencing 2 May, 5 September & 12 September 2011
On the above dates, the role of Dorothy will be sung by Sophie Evans
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s forthcoming revival of The Wizard of Oz will follow Sister Act into the London Palladium where it is scheduled to start performances on 29 March 2011, with a press night expected for 11th April 2011
Lloyd Webber has reunited with lyricist Tim Rice to add songs to the Harold Arlen-Yip Harburg score. Rice replaces previously announced lyricist Glenn Slater. He and Tim Rice have written an opening number for the show as well as songs for the two witches and The Wizard and Professor Marvel (both played by Crawford) as none of them had anything to sing.
Special Gala Performance - Tuesday 15th of February
There is to be a special gala performance of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium on Tuesday 15th of February with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Prostate UK hosting this event.
The Wizard of Oz starts previews at the London Palladium on 7th February and opens on 1st March. It stars Michael Crawford as the eponymous Wizard of Oz, Hannah Waddingham as the Wicked Witch of the West and Danielle Hope (who won BBC TV’s Over the Rainbow) as Dorothy.
Proceeds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity will go to the Theatres for Theatres Appeal which aims to raise £4M over three years to go towards two new operating theatres for their Neurosciences team. The theatres will be used to treat children with complex and often life-threatening neurological and craniofacial conditions.
Wizard of Oz Cast
- Michael Crawford will play the title role in "The Wizard of Oz" in the revival at the London Palladium produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The 68-year-old actor , who created the title role in "The Phantom of the Opera," last appeared on stage in London in Lloyd Webber's "The Woman in White" in 2003.
"The Wizard of Oz" is helmed by Jeremy Sams, designed by Robert Jones and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, the team behind Lloyd Webber's hit revival of "The Sound of Music."
Dorothy will be played by Danielle Hope, who won the BBC TV star search skein "Over the Rainbow."
Emily Tierney (Wicked!) will be playing the Good Witch joining Michael Crawford as the Wizard, Danielle Hope as Dorothy and Hannah Waddingham as her adversary the Wicked Witch of the West.
Cast Changes News
Sophie Evans
Sophie Evans, alternate ‘Dorothy’ in The Wizard of Oz’ at the Palladium, will take over from current ‘Dorothy’ Danielle Hope, who leaves in the WOZ cast change on 5th February 2012.
Russel Grant
Russel Grant is to star as The Wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Russell made his name as Britain’s best-loved astrologer and is now adored by the nation after starring in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Dancing. He takes over the eponymous role from Michael Crawford from Tuesday 14 February 2012 for a limited 12-week season.
Having captured the public’s heart on the BBC hit Saturday night show, Russell will be working with Arlene Phillips, the show’s choreographer, to bring the new dance moves he’s learned to the stage of the London Palladium!
Russell will star alongside Sophie Evans, runner up in BBC’s Over the Rainbow, who despite just missing out on the top spot, charmed the millions who tuned in to watch her, ensuring they would never forget the red-headed girl from Wales.
Marianne Benedict
Currently in the ensemble and understudy for the Wicked Witch of the West in the The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium Marianne Benedict is due to replace Hannah Waddingham in the role when she leaves on 4th September 2011.
Her theatre credits include: Miss MacKintosh in The Sunshine Boys (Oldham Coliseum), Vivian in Dirty Dancing (Aldwych), Teacher and understudy Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (Dominion), Catherine in The Girl Dusty (workshop, Duchess), Gloria and resident MD in Return to the Forbidden Planet (Basingstoke Haymarket and UK tour), Sophie in the Misfits (film workshop), Alice and understudy Bonnie in Loveshack (UK tour), Debbie in Debbie Does Dallas (Old Fire Station, Oxford), Wealdstone in Mother Goose and Dolly and assistant MD in The Country Wife (Watford Palace), Stella and understudy Polly Baker in Crazy for You (Lincoln Theatre Royal and UK tour), Diana in the musical Dragula (fringe), Rio in Club Tropicana and singer in West End Musical Theatre Celebration (Palace).
Full Cast List for The Wizard of Oz
Edward Baker-Duly is the Tin Man
David Ganly , The Lion,
Paul Keating, as The Scarecrow
Emily Tierney as Glinda
Hannah Waddingham as the Wicked Witch of the West
Michael Crawford as The Wizard and Danielle Hope as Dorothy
Danielle Hope
Michael Crawford
MICHAEL CRAWFORD has been thrilling audiences since the show opened at the LONDON PALLADIUM on 1 March 2011 and now he will star in the iconic role until at least Sunday 5th February 2012.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD, who takes on the role of The Wizard, is internationally-renowned for originating the title role in The Phantom of the Opera and loved by millions for his role as the hapless Frank Spencer in the classic British sitcom, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. His hugely successful career spans four decades, and includes his triumphant performance in the hit show Barnum at the London Palladium and the role of Count Fosco in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White. He is a multi Olivier and Tony-award winning star whose acclaim encompasses theatre, television and film and he was appointed an OBE in 1988.
In addition to the eponymous role, Michael also plays the characters of The Wizard in disguise as both the doorman and the tour guide in the Emerald City, as well as Professor Marvel, for whom a new song has been specially written, The Wonders of the World.
Hannah Waddingham
HANNAH WADDINGHAM will create the role of The Wicked Witch of the West on stage. Her extensive work in the theatre includes the role of Desiree in A Little Night Music (Garrick Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory), The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (a role she originated in the West End, and played on Broadway), Into The Woods (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Bad Girls The Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse), A Chorus of Disapproval (Theatr Clywd), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Likes of Us (Sydmonton Festival), The Beautiful Game (Cambridge Theatre) and Lautrec (Shaftesbury Theatre). She has been twice nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical (in 2007 for Spamalot and in 2010 for A Little Night Music). Her television credits include My Hero, William and Mary, Coupling and Footballers’ Wives.
Emily Tierney
EMILY TIERNEY takes on the role of Glinda, The Good Witch and most powerful sorceress of Oz. Emily’s stage credits include All The Fun Of The Fair (Garrick Theatre) and Wicked (Apollo Victoria) and for TV, New Tricks on BBC.
Edward Baker-Duly
EDWARD BAKER-DULY will play the Tin Man, the iconic character who longs for a heart. Edward’s West End theatre credits include Gone With The Wind (New London Theatre), Salad Days (Vaudeville Theatre and UK Tour) and West Side Story (Prince of Wales Theatre and UK Tour), as well as Rookery Nook (Menier Chocolate Factory).
David Ganly
DAVID GANLY is the Cowardly Lion. David’s past theatre credits include the role of Amos in Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), The Full Monty (Prince of Wales Theatre), Peter Hall’s production of Uncle Vanya for English Touring Theatre, Doctor Doolittle (UK tour) and The Lonesome West (Lyceum Theatre and Broadway). He was last seen on stage in London in Joe Hill Gibbins’ production The Beauty Queen of Leenane at the Young Vic.
Paul Keating
PAUL KEATING plays the Scarecrow – who would while away the hours, conferring with the flowers…if he only had a brain. Paul’s work in theatre includes the title role in Tommy (Shaftesbury Theatre), Blowing Whistles (Leicester Square Theatre), Tick… Tick… BOOM! (Duchess Theatre), and the lead role of Seymour in Olivier Award-nominated production of The Little Shop of Horrors at Menier Chocolate Factory and in the West End.
Actor Paul Keating first appeared on a West End stage when he was only 12 years old – as young ‘Gavroche’ in Les Miserables – and has since starred in numerous West End plays and musicals. He has been nominated for an Olivier Award twice so far: in 1997, for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in ‘Tommy’ and in 2002, for his performance in ‘Closer to Heaven’.
Paul, who has also appeared in many films and TV programmes since he was 13, loves acting on stage and being able to explore a character. He originates the role of the ‘Scarecrow’ in the new and extremely popular West End musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’.
Other Staff
Luke Ross Cobb, Props Assistant
Ben Phillips, Deputy Head of Automation
Kate Golledge, Resident Director
Director Jeremy Sams
designer Robert Jones
choreographer Arlene Phillips
Wizard of Oz Full Cast at a Glance
The Wizard of Oz is in rehearsal and due to start previews on 7th February 2011.
Here is the full cast list:
DANIELLE HOPE - Dorothy
SOPHIE EVANS - Alternate Dorothy
EMILY TIERNEY - Glinda
HANNAH WADDINGHAM - Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West
MICHAEL CRAWFORD - Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz
PAUL KEATING - Hunk/Scarecrow
EDWARD BAKER-DULY - Hickory/Tin Man
DAVID GANLY - Zeke/Cowardly Lion
HELEN WALSH - Aunt Em/Munchkin Barrister/Ensemble
STEPHEN SCOTT - Uncle Henry/Ensemble, first cover Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Oz
ED HAYES-NEARY - Winkie General
DAVID BIRCH - Munchkin Coroner, second cover Zake/Cowardly Lion
ZEPH - Munchkin Mayor, first cover Uncle Henry, second cover Professor Marvel/The Wizard of Ozv
FLORENCE ANDREWS - Ensemble, first cover Glinda
MATTHEW BARROW - Swing, second cover Uncle Henry, second cover Munchkin Mayor
MARIANNE BENEDICT - Ensemble, first cover Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West
ADAM BRACEGIRDLE - Ensemble, first cover Munchkin Coroner, first cover Munchkin Mayor
ASHLEY DAY - Ensemble, first cover Hunk/Scarecrow
A C GARCIA - Ensemble, first cover Winkie General
RYAN GOVER - Ensemble, second cover Hickory/Tin Man
EMILY GOODENOUGH - Ensemble
EMMA HOUSLEY - Ensemble, first cover Dorothy
REBECCA HOWELL - Swing
LUKE JOHNSON - Swing
TOM KANAVAN - Ensemble, first cover Zake/Cowardly Lion
CARLY MYERS - Ensemble
TEREL NUGENT - Ensemble, first cover Hickory/Tin Man
CEILI O’CONNOR - Swing, second cover Dorothy
RICHARD ROE - Swing, dance captain, second cover Hunk/Scarecrow, second cover Munchin Coroner
OLIVER ROLL - Swing, second cover Winkie General
ADAM SALTER - Ensemble
RACHEL SPURRELL - Ensemble, second cover Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West, second cover Aunt Em/Munchkin Barrister
CARRIE SUTTON - Ensemble, first cover Aunt Em/Munchkin Barrister
JAY WEBB - Ensemble
ANNA WOODSIDE - Swing
LIAM WRATE - Ensemble
The New Wizard of Oz London Cast Recording
The full London cast album recording of The Wizard Of Oz is to be released on 2nd May 2011 on Polydor Records in association with Really Useful Group. The 24 track set includes all the much-loved songs from the Oscar-winning movie score by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg plus new songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The Wizard Of Oz cast recording features the full London cast of performers including the multi-award winning Michael Crawford and Danielle Hope, the winner of the BBC One hit TV show Over The Rainbow. The superb supporting cast comprises of Edward Baker-Duly (Tin Man), David Ganly (Cowardly Lion), Paul Keating (Scarecrow), Emily Tierney (Glinda) and Hannah Waddingham (Wicked Witch Of the West) accompanied by a 36 strong ensemble.
Here's the track listing from the show:
Tracklisting
ACT ONE
1. Overture
2. Nobody Understands Me
3. Over The Rainbow
4. Wonders Of The World
5. The Twister
6. Arrival In Munchkinland
7. Munchkinland / Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead
8. Follow The Yellow Brick Road
9. If I Only Had A Brain / We’re Off To See The Wizard
10. If I Only Had A Heart / We’re Off To See The Wizard
11. If I Only Had The Nerve / We’re Off To See The Wizard
12. We’re Outta The Woods
13. The Merry Old Land Of Oz
14. Bring Me The Broomstick
ACT TWO
15. Haunted Forest
16. Red Shoe Blues
17. Bacchanalia
18. Red Shoe Blues (Reprise)
19. Over The Rainbow (Reprise)
20. If We Only Had A Plan
21. The Rescue
22. Hail Hail! The Witch is Dead
23. The Wizards Departure
24. Finale
Wizard of Oz Reborn
Based on the original classic MGM film from 1939, starring Judy Garland, Andrew Lloyd Webber has added to the music of the famous film score.
The film was based on Frank Baum's fairy tale book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900.
The first stage version of L Frank Baum’s classic book was in 1902 starring Anna Laughlin. The 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland is the most famous version of the show, and was adapted into a stage musical in 1945 by Frank Gabrielson for the St. Louis Municipal Opera. In 1987 the RSC produced a new stage musical version which was much closer to the film, and starred Imelda Staunton as Dorothy, who was nominated for an Olivier award for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical.
Andrew Lloyd Webber will look to add some new songs to the stage show: “The film worked fantastically but we need some new songs for the stage show”, said Lloyd Webber.
Jeremy Sams, who is directing and who has re-written the book said:
"I love the movie, but previous productions have tried to put that onstage, in some cases right down to the tiniest detail. But it seems to me, the closer you get to the original the more you're faced with the question of, why are you doing this? Why not just give audiences the DVD?. Musicals usually have an opening number in which people sing and set the tone followed by an 'I want' song. With 'Over the Rainbow,' we have the best 'I want' song of all time, but it seems wrong to me to start with that. So now we have an opening number. There will also be an old-fashioned 11 o'clock number for Glinda and a major second-act opener for the Wicked Witch and her Winkies."
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a cultural icon in the United States. Dorothy and Toto, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Wicked Witch of the West, and the Wizard of Oz have all become part of the American vocabulary. Dorothy's heartfelt statement, "There is no place like home," still reverberates today.
New Songs
The Wizard of Oz stage musical has all the original songs by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, as well as four new numbers by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to fill a few gaps. "Nobody Understands Me" is a scene-setter at the start for Dorothy and "Red Shoes Blues" is a real show-stopper for the Wicked Witch of the West played by Hannah Waddingham. Michael Crawford has two new songs: “Wonders of the World” which he sings in his guise as Professor Marvel when he is trying to persuade Dorothy to stay at home before the storm breaks and as the Wizard he chants "Bring Me the Broomstick” at the end of the first act.
Over The Rainbow
Over The Rainbow was a reality casting show which selected Danielle Hope for the role of Dorothy in the new Wizard Of Oz production, as a winner to sing the part of Dorothy in London.
Andrew Lloyd Webber used the televised talent show to find the leading lady to follow his yellow brick road all the way to the London stage. Over The Rainbow follows the success of previous shows How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? (The Sound of Music), Any Dream Will Do (Joseph) and I’d Do Anything ( Oliver ).
“Our previous musical talent searches have provided an incredible shot in the arm for musical theatre in Britain and I can't wait to work with the BBC again in the hunt for Dorothy – an iconic role of course made famous by a young Judy Garland in the film in 1939.”
Winner: Danielle Hope
Second: Sophie Evans
Third: Lauren Samuels
Fourth: Steph Fearon
The Wizard of Oz Synopsis
After a tornado whisks away a young Kansas farm girl, Dorothy, to the magical land of OZ, she starts her quest to find the mighty Wizard of Oz who has the power to send her home. Along the way she meets a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodsman and a Cowardly Lion who help her on her journey.
Staging
The London Palladium will be transformed into the mythical Emerald City with special effects and scenery to re-tell the real story of Oz. Just one aspect of the elaborate stage design for The Wizard of Oz will be a restoration of the legendary twin revolving stages.
