Adaptations of The Wizard of Oz - Stage Adaptations

Stage Adaptations

• The first musical version of the book was produced by Baum and Denslow (with music by composer Paul Tietjens) in Chicago in 1902 and moved to New York in 1903. It used many of the same characters, and was aimed more at adult audiences. It had a long, successful run on Broadway. Baum added numerous political references to the script, mentioning President Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Mark Hanna, and John D. Rockefeller by name. Many existing songs that had nothing to do with the story were interpolated. Baum followed with two additional Oz musicals, The Woggle-Bug (1905) and The Tik-Tok Man of Oz (1913). Both were panned as rehashes rather than sequels; although Tik-Tok did better than The Woggle-Bug, neither made it to Broadway.
• The Wizard of Oz is a 1942 musical using songs from the 1939 film. It was adapted by Frank Gabrielson for the St. Louis Municipal Opera. The piece continues to receive frequent revivals.
• In 1959, the popular ice skating show Holiday on Ice included a condensed version of The Wizard of Oz.
• The Wiz is a 1975 musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, exclusively featuring African American actors. Stephanie Mills starred as Dorothy in the original Broadway cast. The production won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Musical. Geoffrey Holder directed a 1984 Broadway revival, which also featured Mills as Dorothy.
• The Marvelous Land of Oz is a 1981 musical by Thomas W. Olson, Gary Briggle, and Richard Dworsky. The original production, which included Briggle as the Scarecrow, was taped and shown on television.
• The Wizard of Oz (1987–1989) is an adaptation by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company, based on the novel and 1939 film, which hews more closely to the film's screenplay than the 1942 version did; this adaptation continues to be frequently revived and toured.
• The Wizard of A.I.D.S. is a 1987 adaptation of the Oz story which serves as an AIDS education tool.
• The Wizard of Oz Live (1989–1990) is an arena touring production in celebration of the film's 50th anniversary. The production featured a pre-recorded soundtrack.
• The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True was a 1995 concert performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation at Lincoln Center, featuring celebrity actors such as Jewel as Dorothy, Roger Daltrey as the Tin Man, Joel Grey as the Wizard (a role he later reprised in Wicked), Nathan Lane as the Lion, Debra Winger, Natalie Cole, Jackson Browne as the Scarecrow, and Lucie Arnaz.
• The Wizard of Oz on Ice (1995–1999) was a production produced by Kenneth Feld, that toured nationally and internationally around the world.
• The Wizard of Oz on Tour was a 1998 touring production of the 1987 RSC version that originally played in the Madison Square Garden theatre in May 1997. Roseanne Barr was the Wicked Witch, replaced by Eartha Kitt in 1998 and JoAnne Worley and Liliane Montevecchi in 1999. Mickey Rooney was the Wizard. The production played at Madison Square Garden from May 1997 to May 1999. The touring production ran from May 1998 to late 1999.
• Wicked (2003–Present) is a 2003 Broadway and West End musical based on the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. It features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
• Der Zauberer von Oz is a 2005 stage play with music by Ralf Linke, performed by the Festspiele Balver Höhle.
• - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (musical) is a 2000 musical that premiered in Toronto.
• Dothy et Le Magicien d'Oz was a 2009 musical spectacular that played in France. A cast album was generated.
• The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical) is a 2011 West End version building on the 1939 film songs and script with new material by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It began previews on February 7, 2011 and officially opened on March 1. Danielle Hope was chosen to play the role of "Dorothy" through the BBC UK TV Series Over the Rainbow. Michael Crawford plays the role of the WIzard.
• Oz – The Wonderful Wizard is a ballet by the Italian choreographer Giorgio Madia, who created an entirely danced version for the company of Staatsballett Berlin on compositions by Dmitri Shostakovich. The production premiered in March 2011. The role of the Wizard was interpreted by Vladimir Malakhov, the role of Dorothy by Polina Semionova.