Why?
It seems a reasonable enough question.
Andrew Lloyd Webber — he of “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera” fame — has taken “The Wizard of Oz” from celluloid to the stage.
This is not a fresh look of the L. Frank Baum book, or of the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland. It is that movie, albeit with a few new tunes and bits of new dialogue.
It feels kind of cynical — as though Sir Andrew thought “Blimey! A proper movie like this could be a money maker if I write a few songs and add some fancy special effects.”
While not exactly a hit, “The Wizard of Oz,” which plays Centennial Hall through Sunday, is pleasant enough.
Danielle Wade, who won the role in a Canadian reality show called “Over the Rainbow,” has a lovely voice and an innocence that suits Dorothy well. And while there was something a little Judy Garland-esque about her performance, it never felt as though she was aping the original Dorothy’s performance.
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The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion ( Jamie McKnight, Mike Jackson and Lee MacDougall respectively) had strong voices, good comedic timing and some solid dancing skills. Still, they evoked the memories — and had much of the dialogue — of the original performers from the movie.
There was a bit of added dialogue, the mostly forgettable songs by Webber and Tim Rice, and a few additional touches that were unnecessary and disappointing (get a load of the last scene). But other than that, this is the movie.
Still, it’s impressive to see what can be done on stage.
Wow-inducing video projections paired with blinding lighting put the audience in the middle of a Kansas tornado and swept it to Oz. They were also used to make the Wicked Witch of the West scarier than she would be otherwise, and the Wizard intimidating as all get out.
The lush costumes for the folks in Oz, the often-clever choreography, and the flying monkeys — real and in the projections — all impressed.
And then there was Toto. Nigel, a rescue dog with remarkable patience, was aw-shucks adorable in the role. He got entrance applause and great cheers at the curtain call. W.C. Fields once said “never work with animals or children.” This show makes that clear: Nigel was a serious scene stealer.
The Webber/Rice tunes were ok to oh-stop-with-the schmaltz. “Already Home,” sung by Glinda (a low-energy Robin Evan Willis) and Dorothy was filled with lines like this: “Home is a place in your heart/every journey leads you back to where you start.” It is roll-your-eyes corny.
“Wizard of Oz” may introduce some children to live theater, and that’s always a positive, though ticket prices (about $10 less for kids and students) could dash that.
This road show of the Canadian production, isn’t bad. It’s not a big wow, either.
It’s just a staged version of the movie.
But ... why?
