The Wizard of Oz

Here's how I was able to enjoy this musical: One, I haven't seen the movie 100 times over; Two, I've never seen the musical.  If either of those had been a factor, I would not have gone to see the musical.  In fact, I had already passed on seeing it twice before, but my determination to support the arts in my city, which needs to be done because the reception of the arts is piss poor here, overran my desire to see it on stage.  In fact, I bought the tickets on a total whim. I was watching TV and the ad for the musical played and I went to Ticket Master and ordered the tickets...and got darn good seats at that!

The musical was good. It had all the songs from the movie and a couple of songs that were just for the musical and plots to go along with those. I loved the dancing poppies and the ladies who played trees and poppies and snow were very good! The cast all had really good voices and the men did a really good job of playing their parts. I have often thought that the males roles in this musical were very eccentric and a little off, and wondered how much it took for the men in the movie to play such silly, and sometimes, simple roles.  Like how many takes it took to get the scene and the lines just right.  But watching the men live and on stage, they did an excellent job of being exactly what the roles called for them to be...which is their job, so they should have been good at it, right? lol.  The munchkins were actual kids. I don't know if I expected them to be little people or what, but they were all kids and even a couple of local kids were a part of the ensemble. Toto was cute but I don't think it was a yorkie like on the movie and he wasn't all black, but you know, he played his part. What was interesting and, I guess, different, for me at least, is that this is a musical with a lot of traveling.  And there are things that happen during the travel, so the travel is showed...on a small stage.  So there was a lot of walking in place, or walking in circles, not even the whole span of the stage, that made it seem monotonous. The only time Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion really MOVED during thier travel was when it was time for them to exit the stage. This was an example of a musical that was very small on stage. Very small.

I'm glad I went to see it. I don't think I would see it again, but that isn't anything new. After all its a movie classic and I think the movie is better than the musical.  But there was a great turn out for it. The fact that it was only in town for two days contributed to that, I'm sure, but I was really happy to see a packed house here. That doesn't happen often and that is why I tend to go out of town to see a show.  So to sum it up, the musical was good, not great, but it was enjoyable.