Stage Door News
Stage Door News
This holiday season, The Grand Theatre is delighted to bring to the stage The Wizard of Oz, a classic which has joined the pantheon of seasonal traditions since its movie premiere in 1939. This holiday tradition opens on the MainStage in previews November 22 and runs till December 31, 2016.
Director Rick Miller brings L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy to technicolour life through the emerald forests and yellow brick road by fusing old-fashioned storytelling and innovative theatre technology. “The 1939 MGM film version of Frank L. Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the one etched in my brain,” said The Wizard of Oz Director, Rick Miller. “So, we have set this Oz in a studio sound stage in Hollywood’s heyday. Those film sets are places of wonder and wizardry, where illusions become reality, and where dreams come true. Once you see beyond the painted flats and the emerald glow, you realize it is all la-la-land and someone has been pulling strings behind a curtain.”
The Wizard of Oz is a timeless symbol of popular culture. Audiences will meet Dorothy and her little dog Toto, who are swept away to the land of Oz and yearn to return home. The production is every bit as resonant today as it was 77 years ago, making it a must-see production for audiences of all ages.
The cast is comprised of established Canadian actors as well as a young company of local children. Michelle Bouey, who stars as Dorothy, launched her career on the set of CBC’s Over the Rainbow. She is joined on stage by Bruce Dow, the Cowardly Lion, who has appeared on Broadway in Jane Eyre, The Music Man, Anything Goes, Jesus Christ Superstar; Kyle Blair, Scarecrow, has toggled for 14 seasons between The Stratford and Shaw Festivals, most recently seen in Sweeney Todd and Alice in Wonderland at Shaw; and Marcus Nance, Tinman, whose credits include Shaw, Stratford, and Broadway in La Bohème. Other renowned artists include George Masswohl as the Wizard, Trevor Patt as Uncle Henry, Marie McDunnough as Glinda, and Carly Street as the Wicked Witch. Kiersten Overton, who was Fantine in The Grand’s recent High School Project production of Les Misèrables School Edition, joins the cast.
The children’s chorus has 10 youth from the region, including Alec Dahmer, Maia Dempsey, Isabela Filice, Oliver Gamble, Emerson Gamble, Manya Hegde, Luke Krawczak, Zoë Lacey, Kingsley Smith, and Hannah Thomas. Toto is played by Neddy, who has starred as Toto in over 350 productions of The Wizard of Oz!
“I remember vividly my first exposure to the movie version of The Wizard of Oz and experiencing all range of emotion: joy, wonder, fear, and love. And now to experience this musical on our beautiful stage seems to me a delightful opportunity,” said Grand Theatre Artistic Director, Dennis Garnhum.
The Wizard of Oz opens in previews November 22 at 7:30pm with opening night Friday, November 25 at 7:30pm. Performances run through December 31, 2016; Tuesday - Friday at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 1pm and 7:30pm and Sundays at 1pm. Recommended for ages 7+.
Tickets range from $29.95 to $82.50 (includes HST and CIF – prices subject to change), and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519-672-8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street.
The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of our Season sponsor BMO Financial Group, and The Wizard of Oz title sponsor, London Life.
About The Grand Theatre
The Grand Theatre, a leading regional theatre, is located in the heart of Downtown London, Ontario. The Grand produces and presents professional performances on the MainStage and in the McManus Studio Theatre. It is also a teaching theatre with apprenticeship programs and a leader in youth mentorship with The High School Project, the only project of its kind in North America. The Grand season runs from September to May. The 2016/17 season is on sale now.
The Wizard of Oz
By L. Frank Baum
Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg
Background Music by Herbert Stothart
Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard
Orchestration by Larry Wilcox
Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.
CAST
Kyle Blair Hunk / Scarecrow
Michelle Bouey Dorothy
Bruce Dow Zeke / Cowardly Lion
George Masswohl Professor Marvel / Wizard of Oz
Marie McDunnough Auntie Em / Glinda
Marcus Nance Hickory / Tinman
Kiersten Overton Ensemble / Dorothy u.s.
Trevor Patt Uncle Henry / Guard /
u.s. Tinman, Scarecrow, Lion
Carly Street Miss Gulch / Wicked Witch
Photo: Marcus Nance, Kyle Blair, Toto, Michelle Bouey and Brice Dow.
2016-11-17
London: The Grand Theatre presents a starry production of "The Wizard of Oz" November 22-December 31