The original story of The Wizard of Oz was written in 1900 by L. Frank
Baum as, as he put it, "a modernized fairy tale". In the last one
hundred years, many versions of his story have appeared as plays,
musicals, movies, and spin offs. This version adds to the tradition a
musical that is entertaining to kids of this generation- entertaining not only to those who see it, but for those who perform
in it. Many people think they know the story of the Wizard of Oz
because they saw the Judy Garland movie. Although the movie contains
many elements of the book, it leaves out many story lines and even
changes the plot to suit its own "modernized" themes. That movie, made
in 1936, was concerned with the Depression, the mid-western dust bowl,
and the plight of the common man. This version touches on issues such
as technology, self esteem, and youthful restlessness. The Scarecrow is
a very clever young man who happens to have learning disabilities,
specifically, he can’t read. The Tin Man is a robot who aspires to be
more like a real human. The Lion is not really a lion at all, but
becomes one in his heart by proving his bravery. The Wizard is a
scientist/inventor stuck in Oz when he impulsively tries out his
alternate universe machine on himself. And Dorothy is a dissatisfied
teenager who’s not sure what she wants in life. The songs are modern
rock styles and lend themselves to contemporary dance moves. But in the
end all the versions of The Wizard of Oz have one thing in common- the
story is about home and family. No matter how an author strays from the
original story line, if they hold on to that central theme, it will
always be unmistakably L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.
The sets can be anything from suggestive minimalistic to elaborate spectacles. The casting likewise is extremely flexible. The gender of the various characters can be reversed. The Paper Girl could be a boy, the Tin Man or the Lion could be a girl, etc. The number of cast members may be made smaller by combining roles or by having the same actors play Munchkins and Winged Monkeys, or Emerald City residents and Southlings or Winkies. To make the cast larger, just add extras.
The sets can be anything from suggestive minimalistic to elaborate spectacles. The casting likewise is extremely flexible. The gender of the various characters can be reversed. The Paper Girl could be a boy, the Tin Man or the Lion could be a girl, etc. The number of cast members may be made smaller by combining roles or by having the same actors play Munchkins and Winged Monkeys, or Emerald City residents and Southlings or Winkies. To make the cast larger, just add extras.
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